Part 44
"Now, before you have a go at me Haley, they needed to talk." Nathan said just as Haley came storming into the den looking for him.
Haley kept walking until she was standing in front of him.
"Oh, you think that's what Brooke really needs? To have Peyton here?" She asked angrily, "The only thing worse than having Peyton here right now would be if Lucas was here too!" She huffed at him before seeing his lack of reaction.
Oh god! "He isn't is he?" She asked as her eyes shot wide open.
"What? No!" Nathan replied, hurt that Haley could think he'd do that to Brooke. "Lucas was basically paralytic by the time I got over there... I took him home." He explained.
Haley frowned as she looked at her husband, he wasn't acting normally. He'd left earlier in such a joking mood that she was worried to see him slightly withdrawn like this. "You okay Nate?" She asked softly, placing her hand on his arm.
He looked at her sadly and shrugged. Then looked off towards the back of the house wondering how things were going out there with his two friends. He'd known the moment he'd seen Peyton that he was bringing her back here, Brooke needed her and it was obvious Peyton needed Brooke.
"Do you think I did the wrong thing?" He asked, still not looking at Haley.
Did she?
"I... I think that Brooke is hurting right now," She started, not altogether convinced of what she was about to say. "I'm just not sure Peyton can fix that." Not if she still loves Lucas.
Nathan sighed and moved towards a nearby seat and sat down clutching his head in his hands.
Haley followed him and sat on the arm and ran her hand up and down his back as he hunched over.
"She broke up with him Hales," He told her without moving from his position. "She broke up with him and then went and trashed her room."
"At the apartment?" She asked shocked at what she was hearing.
"No, where Brooke was..." He trailed off not able to finish the sentence.
Haley nodded in understanding. "God." She closed her eyes as her chest tightened at all the pain her friends were going through, even Lucas. She'd know Lucas had been in love with Peyton since they were kids, and even though she'd hated what they'd done to Brooke the first time, she'd been genuinely happy for them when he told her they had started dating again.
Especially when Peyton had told her that Brooke had helped get them together.
Now?
Now she knew the whole time Brooke had been in love with Peyton. How hard must that have been to put your own feelings aside and help the person you love find happiness with someone else.
"They need to talk Haley. They need to." Nathan said in a broken whisper, finally looking up at his wife.
Her heart broke as she saw the tears on his face, and she cupped his cheek with her hand and brushed a tear away with her thumb. She wanted desperately to take his pain away, tell him that he wasn't the one responsible for sorting out the problems their friends were having, but instead, all she could do was watch as he gently placed his head into her lap and kissed her stomach.
She sighed silently as she stroked his head.
"I know."
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Peyton felt wetness run down her face, she frowned having no idea why she'd started crying, only to realise as she looked up that it was starting to rain again.
Suddenly she found herself being pushed backwards forcefully. "Ow, what the... hey!" She shouted as Brooke shoved her again, this time the brunette's hand connected with a more sensitive part of her chest.
Shit that hurt.
"You think you can just kiss me and that'll make everything better?" Brooke asked, and pushed her back again. "Well it doesn't... how dare you just... KISS me!" She screamed at her.
"Ow, ow!" Peyton cried out before grabbing Brooke's wrists in an attempt at halting the physical attack. "Okay already!" She told her as Brooke pulled her hands back.
Peyton watched as Brooke glared at her, panting into the night air.
"Not really the kind of reaction I was hoping for." Peyton murmured to herself as Brooke stepped away and turned her back to her.
But Brooke quickly spun back around having heard her. "Oh? And how exactly did you think I'd react, Peyton?" She asked, still angry.
Peyton gave her a small embarrassed smile and shrugged her shoulders, knowing she hadn't thought that far ahead.
Great! Brooke's eyes closed in an effort not to scream at the blonde. She has no clue what she's doing to me. Opening one eye to glare at her friend Brooke was astonished to see Peyton smiling back at her with a patient look on her face.
"You're smiling?" Brooke couldn't help but ask.
"Uh huh." Peyton replied with a small laugh as she folded her arms in front of her.
Brooke shifted trying not to wince as her leg reminded her it wasn't happy with everything she'd put it through in the last few hours.
"And just why are you smiling?"
Peyton didn't really understand why she wasn't worried anymore considering how scared she'd felt since Brooke had run out of the apartment earlier, but she wasn't. In fact, being here right now with Brooke standing in front of her just made her feel happy, happier than she'd felt in a really long time. The rain didn't even bother her.
But maybe I should have mentioned that I broke up with Lucas before I kissed her?
"Peyton?" Brooke says when she sees the blonde start to frown.
"Maybe we should talk inside Brooke." Peyton said, thinking that it'd be better if the other girl was sitting down for this conversation.
Brooke wasn't in the mood. Peyton had pushed for this to happen not the other way around. Shaking her head Brooke glared at her friend. "If you've got something to say Peyton, just spit it out."
Peyton just watched Brooke stare back at her positive that she was going about this whole thing the wrong way, they were both overly emotional after everything that had happened since last night. What if Brooke was too angry to care right now?
With a nervous tug on her bottom lip with her teeth Peyton finally noticed just how exhausted her best friend was, how she tried to hide how much she was hurting.
Because of me.
Peyton unconsciously took a step closer to the brunette, her heart demanding that she offer some form of comfort, but Brooke kept just out of reach.
"Don't Peyton, I don't need your pity right now." Brooke told her as she backed away. "Just say whatever it is and leave me alone, please." She asked desperately, not sure how much more she could take.
"Brooke, oh Brooke, I never meant for any of this to happen." Peyton told her helplessly.
Brooke gave her a terse nod in reply. As hurt as she was Brooke knew Peyton hadn't intentionally set out to hurt her last night, but that didn't fix anything.
Peyton didn't know where to start, should she begin at prom? Tell Brooke that from the moment she'd told her she loved her Peyton had been questioning everything that had happened between them? Tell her how terrified she'd been finding her on the floor of her bedroom covered in her own blood? Tell her how much she needed her best friend back in her life again? Tell her how easily the line between friendship and lover had begun to blur between them this last week? How natural that had felt and how happy it made her to think that was where they were headed?
Only to ruin things by leaving Lucas in the picture the whole time?
How was Brooke to know that things had changed when Lucas was still the boyfriend?
"I am so stupid!" Peyton berated herself as she clutched at her head.
Brooke's eyebrows shot up but she stopped herself from automatically agreeing with the blonde.
"I mean how are you supposed to know this stuff?" Peyton asked angrily. "It's not like I told you."
"Told me what?" Brooke cut in before Peyton could continue lambasting herself, but instead Peyton just covered her face with her hands and continued mumbling.
"Peyton?" Brooke gently removed the blonde's hands from her face and held on to them as she saw the tears in the blonde's eyes. "Just tell me."
Not knowing what else to do Peyton did exactly what Brooke asked.
"I broke up with Lucas tonight because I'm in love with you."
"Ugh?" Was Brooke's response, not very articulate she'd admit but could you blame her? And she was pretty sure Peyton would allow her some leeway given the intense shock she was now in.
"Brooke?" Peyton asked in a whisper.
Guess not.
"I think I need to sit down." Brooke said in a daze, still having a hard time grasping exactly what her best friend had just told her.
Peyton turned and looked toward the back door with a frown, trying to judge the distance Brooke would have to walk on her bad leg, she wasn't happy but she'd rather they struggled back to the house together than have to call Nathan out to lend a hand.
"Okay, I guess I can hel-"
"Here's fine." Brooke interrupted, dropping down onto the wet grass without much deliberation. It was either sit down or fall down, cause there was no way she was going to be able to stand a second longer, not after what Peyton had just told her.
She loves me? But how... why, when?
"You okay?" Peyton asked as she sat down next to her.
Brooke scowled at her. "Oh, sure Peyton I'm just great thanks, how 'bout you?" She asked sarcastically.
Peyton once again found a smile creeping onto her face. "Actually I'm feeling pretty good, thanks."
"Stop that!" Brooke huffed at her.
"Stop what?" Peyton asked innocently.
Brooke narrowed her eyes. "Stop smiling, I'm supposed to be mad at you!"
Peyton held in a laugh. "Why don't you just stop being mad at me instead?" She suggested, which was what she really wanted.
"Don't want to." Brooke replied with an air of finality as she folded her arms over her chest. She could quite understand the way this conversation was going but she was determined to stay angry at the blonde, until she'd...
Until she what? She's just told me she's broken up with Lucas and that it was because she loves me, so what exactly am I waiting for? Brooke asked herself. Yes she was still upset, and it wasn't like she'd get over walking into that room to find Lucas naked in her bed anytime soon, but if it was really over with Lucas shouldn't Brooke be happy about that?
"Oh come on Brooke, I love you and I know you love me, can't we just be happy?" Peyton asked.
Shocked almost speechless Brooke couldn't believe what Peyton had just said. "It doesn't work like that, Peyton. God, I can't believe you'd think that's all it would take to fix things between us!"
Peyton wasn't naive enough to believe it'd be that simple, but essentially what she'd said was true, it was just going to be a little harder to make happen.
She shrugged at Brooke and admitted, "Not really."
Brooke let out a breath in frustration and swiped at the rain running down her face.
"But it's how I feel." Peyton continued beside her, shifting until they were now shoulder to shoulder. She looked down and played with the laces of her sneakers, aware that Brooke was now watching her every move. "When Nathan told me you weren't coming back to the apartment, I just lost it... I thought I'd lost you. And even if I had, I knew it was over with Lucas, it has been since prom." She said looking up at Brooke, needing her to see the truth in her words now.
Brooke just watched her and listened hanging on every word, not allowing herself to feel happy about this given what had happened with Lucas and Peyton just a few hours ago, not yet anyway.
"Of course I hadn't known that at the time, that came later, 'round about the time I realised I never wanted to wake up and not find you sleeping in my arms." Peyton explained.
Brooke tried to blink back her tears, but it was too much for her, Peyton had just told something she never thought she'd ever hear. It was almost too good to be true.
"You really mean all of that?" Brooke couldn't stop herself from asking, half afraid of what answer Peyton would give.
Peyton nodded and reached over to hold Brooke's hand, taking care not to hold too tightly as it was still sporting a bandage, and placed it in the centre of her chest. "Yes. With all my heart."
Gaining confidence by the way Brooke was smiling at her, Peyton moved carefully to kneel in front of the brunette, keeping hold of her hand and ignoring the mud that started to seep through her wet jeans. "Still love me?" Peyton asked hopefully with a raised eyebrow.
"Nope." Came Brooke's quick reply, but even as she shook her head she was grinning at the blonde.
Peyton's breathing stopped at the word, even feeling Brooke squeeze her hand hadn't prepared her for being told no, but she recovered. "Ugh... well that's a shame."
Brooke eyed her carefully. "Why?"
"Oh, I was just thinking that if you did then you wouldn't mind if I kissed you again." Peyton said with a smile.
Brooke snorted. "Not like you bothered to ask the first time."
"We all learn from our mistakes, Brooke, and I learned not to kiss you without asking first." Peyton told her trying hard not to laugh as Brooke's bottom lip edged out.
"What if I said it was okay to kiss me?" Brooke asked.
Peyton shook her head, "Won't work, I asked if you loved me."
"Well maybe you could infer that by the fact I'd let you kiss me."
Peyton rolled her eyes not believing Brooke was trying to find a way around this. "You tell me you love me and then I'll kiss you." She told her simply.
"That's blackmail." Brooke objected.
"Call it what you want, but that's the deal."
"You can't make me say something just because you want me to." Brooke said smugly, taking her hand back and crossing her arms.
Peyton just narrowed her eyes, thinking that sounded almost like a challenge. "Oh really?"
"Really!"
We'll just see about that Brooke.
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"Don't you think we've left them out there long enough?" Haley asked Nathan who had yet to move his head from her lap.
"Nope," He told her, "Have to give Brooke time to bury the body otherwise we'd end up accessories." He explained earning a laugh from his wife that caused him to smile.
"I'm sure it hasn't come to that." Haley told him as he sat up properly.
He stood up and offered her his hand as she moved off her perch. "I'm pretty surprised we haven't heard them shouting at each other."
Haley grinned and nudged Nate with her shoulder. "Maybe they found something better to do with their time."
"Like what?" Nathan asked only to have Haley roll her eyes at him. What is she talking about? Then he thought about it a little. Nah, she can't mean...
Suddenly Nathan very much wanted to go check on what his two friends were up to in his back yard but Haley had a firm grip on this t-shirt.
"Not so fast." She told him with a grin. "How about you stay here and I'll go check on things."
Nathan looked down at her sadly.
She shook her head at her husband's antics, she never could resist that look. "Fine, why don't you come with me but stay in the kitchen?" She offered.
He grinned and pulled her closer with his arm over her shoulders as they moved out of the den.
"When did you figure it out?" He asked, gazing down curiously at her, it had taken him seeing Peyton in her old room tonight to be sure, even though he'd suspected something was going on with Brooke and Peyton for years, there just hadn't been any proof.
Haley shrugged, she'd suspected given the way they'd been acting the last few days, but after what Brooke had told her tonight she'd looked back and realised there had always been something there between the two best friends, even if they'd never acknowledged it before, hell even Rachel had seen it!
"They've always been close, it isn't that much of a leap from friends to lovers." She told him.
He frowned at that. "You and Lucas never..."
She sighed. No, she and Lucas hadn't ever crossed that line, in truth the mere thought of it grossed her out.
"It's different for girls Nate." She explained.
"I guess." He replied, even though he didn't really understand how it was different, but he was smart enough just to be happy Haley had never thought of Lucas as anything other than a brother figure.
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Peyton looked down into Brooke's soft brown eyes, she'd never noticed the golden flecks before now and couldn't seem to pull her gaze away.
"Going to tell me you love me now?" The blonde demanded of her captive.
"No!"
"Just say it and I'll let you go, I'll even add another kiss." Peyton offered, but Brooke just snorted causing Peyton to grin down at her all the more.
Because even though Brooke was practically growling at her as she struggled against her hold, her eyes were telling a story all of their own. She knew Brooke was doing her best not smile up at her and it just made her own smile widen.
"You want a coerced declaration of love? What if I don't mean it?" Brooke asked.
"But you will."
"But what if I don't?"
"It won't matter because after I tell everyone that you love me they won't believe you."
Brooke found herself going still at that.
"You wouldn't." Brooke asked cautiously, not sure if Peyton was telling her this as a joke or not anymore.
"Try me." Peyton told her, eyes twinkling at the other girl.
Brooke twisted as she felt herself begin to giggle, this had to be one of the stupidest things the two of them had ever done. The rain was pouring down on them and she was laying on her back on the soaking lawn, but it warmed her heart the way Peyton was looking at her right now.
Still though.
She couldn't exactly just give in. Not yet, anyway. Plus she was lying on wet, muddy grass, and Peyton was enjoying this a little too much.
She narrowed her eyes up at the blonde, more determined not to cave. "Get off me Peyton!"
"No!" Peyton answered right back as she tried to manoeuvre Brooke's arms so that she could hold both wrists down with only one hand.
"Ack, Peyton," Brooke ground out as she realised the blonde was up to something, she had that look in her eyes, the one that meant nothing but trouble for her. "Don't you dare!" She shouted.
Peyton lowered her head down until they were almost touching, "I don't think you're in a position to threaten me, do you?"
Brooke could hardly hear a word past the pounding of her heart beat.
"And to think all this because you won't admit your feelings."
Peyton was so close to her now, just another inch and their lips would be...
"Uuuugh!" Was the noise that escaped Peyton's lips as she was side tackled and thrown onto her back.
That's gonna leave a bruise.
Blinking to clear the stars from her vision, Peyton found a pair of furious eyes staring down at her. And she was pretty sure she'd just heard Brooke giggle off to the side.
"What the fuck do you think you're playing at Peyton?"
Fucking Scott brothers, never know when to leave well enough alone.
"Nathan get the fuck off me, now!" She spat at him.
Nathan snorted and tightened the grip he had on her arms. "Oh, hell no!" He couldn't believe what he'd seen walking out onto the back porch a few seconds ago with Haley.
Peyton was fighting with Brooke.
Again.
"Ain't happening, Peyton, so just deal with it."
What is it with these two, there's never any middle ground with them, they either hate each other or they're joined at the hip. So much for being out here kissing!
He didn't get it, he just didn't get it.
Now Peyton was getting pissed. "Nathan just let me up okay?" She asked as she struggled to break his hold.
He snorted and just pushed down with more pressure than he needed to, but maybe then Peyton would get the message. "I can't believe you Peyton, I can't believe you'd do this to her."
Peyton struggled some more wanting Nathan just to let her go then maybe he'd notice that Brooke wasn't exactly upset.
"Nathan just..."
"Just what, Peyton?" He demanded, not relaxing his grip.
Payton was seething, not only was Nathan getting it all wrong but Brooke didn't seem willing to jump in with an explanation anytime soon either.
She smirked at the idea of Brooke watching this, shaking her head she fixed on a glare and narrowed her eyes at him.
She'd had enough, and her wrists were starting to hurt.
"Seriously Nate," She said, trying to keep her anger down. "You have about ten seconds to let go." She warned him.
"Or you'll do what?"
Or you'll get my knee rammed into your balls you prick!
And she wasn't kidding, but she'd only managed to count to eight before a sudden blast of cold water did the job for her.
She laughed as Nathan squealed like a girl as he attempted to get away from the freezing water hitting him, but the ground was so wet from the rain still falling that all he managed to do was slide around and quickly become covered in mud.
Standing cautiously, not wanting to slip and end up in the firing line, Peyton turned to look at her saviour.
"Oh, don't look too cocky Peyton, or you're next." Brooke told her as she aimed the jet of water at Nathan's feet, understanding from the howls that the water was pretty cold.
She wasn't trying to be cruel after all, she'd just been hoping to get Nathan to let go of Peyton.
But it was kinda fun now.
"You wouldn't?" Peyton asked even as she got closer.
Oh, really! And with that Brooke turned the direction of the jet towards Peyton, only by now she was within reach and made a grab for the nozzle, turning it upwards and they both got sprayed with the ice cold water.
Screams mixed with laughs as they both fought for control of the hose until suddenly the water was gone.
Uh oh!
Brooke and Peyton just looked at each other with wide eyes, figuring that they were both about to find themselves in trouble.
Brooke let go of the hose and turned to face the house with an innocent expression.
"Peyton started it." She informed the scowling Haley that was stood at the tap for the garden hose.
"Snitch." Peyton whispered at her, not happy Brooke had saw fit to leave her holding the evidence.
Brooke just turned and smiled at her. "Don't you want me owing you a favour?"
Peyton waited until Brooke added a wink before turning to Haley. "It was totally all my fault, Haley." She admitted happily only to have the pregnant girl roll her eyes at them. She shrugged at Brooke, she'd tried nothing doing.
"Thanks for that, but I have eyes of my own." Haley said just as Nathan finally managed to haul himself to his feet and stay there.
He walked past both girls and glared at them as the both sniggered at his mud covered state. If Haley hadn't been watching him he'd have thrown globs of the muck caked to his clothes at them, instead he could only eye them. Even that he couldn't do for long as he heard a throat clear, they may look like they'd just taken part in a wet t-shirt contest but he was a married man.
And he had no plans on being relegated to the couch after this.
"You wait right there Nathan Scott." Haley told him causing his shoulders to slump as he did what he was told.
Sucks to be Nate. Peyton thought having seen which parts of their bodies Nathan's eyes had briefly wandered to, not that she could really blame him.
"And you two better get inside before I change my mind." Haley continued.
Brooke simply grabbed hold of Peyton's hand and quickly led them back towards the house, pausing only long enough for Peyton to hand over the hose to a waiting Haley.
"Poor Nate." Peyton said having worked out he was in for another round of the cold water given how dirty he was.
"Poor Nate nothing," Brooke said as they stopped just inside the kitchen were they'd found a pile of towels and two bathrobes that must have been placed there by Haley. "What did he think he was doing knocking into you like that?" She asked.
Peyton shrugged. "Who cares, I just want a shower and a bed right now." She said tugging most of her wet clothes off and leaving them in a pile alongside Brookes.
Brooke sighed as she tried to towel dry her hair. "Sounds good to me." She replied then cast a glance at the suddenly silent blonde next to her who for some reason found the floor extremely fascinating.
Brooke swallowed and licked her lips before offering, "Feel like sharing?" Which caused the blonde head to immediately lift in her direction.
"You sure?" Peyton asked, eyeing her friend carefully. Given what had happened in the last few hours this was a pretty big step Brooke was suggesting, and Peyton didn't want the brunette to feel pressured into anything.
Brooke gave her a small smile and held out her hand for the blonde to take. "I'm sure."
"Okay then." Peyton replied knowing she must have had a stupid grin on her face, but she didn't care.
Just as they made it to the bottom of the steps they were greeted by Nathan's mom coming down.
"You two are up early." She said as she reached the bottom.
"More like still up, Mrs Scott." Brooke told her, not letting go of Peyton's hand, knowing if she did she'd be left here alone with the older woman while Peyton made her escape.
"Oh, it was a good night then, I presume?" Deb recovered, just remembering Nathan had mentioned something about a party when she'd seen him yesterday.
"It was..." Brooke replied, not sure how to class the events that had occurred from the party up to now. "Different." That worked, right?
Debbie just gave them a smile and let them scramble up the stairs away from her. Shaking her head she made her way into the kitchen where she planned to fix a cup of coffee before heading out.
Only to stop suddenly as she was greeted by the sight of her son in his boxers shivering from the cold and dripping wet.
Nathan's mouth dropped and Haley quickly moved to stand up from where she'd been attempting to dry her husband's legs down with a towel.
"I really don't want to know." She told them and continued on towards the coffee pot.
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AN/ Hmmm, well what do you think? Granted Brooke and Peyton haven't sorted everything out but that'll happen along the way. Can't do everything in one update.
Did their conversation work, didn't it work? Honestly I'm not even sure, but this was the best version I'd written so I'd thought it worked well enough to post.
But if you strongly disagree let me know ;)
Thanks for reading as always and to those straining your eyes in the dark to type out a review, big kisses!
You guys get that I don't do quick anymore right? Pout, I miss the good old days, I worked harder but I always seemed to fit in writing, now I work less but am out of the house more and have less time to write... it's freakin weird!
Oh and don't even get me started on the way this season of OTH ends! It better not be true - is all I'll say for now.
Next time!
'Glitch my ass'