Part 46
Debbie walked out of the office and into the front of the cafe to see that Lucas was still the only one there. And he was in no condition to be purchasing anything even if he hadn't been the owners son.
His forehead rested on the counter top and his arms were spread out in front, she and Karen had left him there only after receiving glares at the offer of making him some grease laden breakfast.
Poor soul.
"Why don't you head on back home, get some sleep?" She said as she stood across from him.
Lucas lifted his head to look at her, he couldn't even work up the effort it would take to smile at her. "Nah," He replied, his voice thick. "I'm supposed to be going over to see Nate soon, no point."
"Oh?" She wondered if Nathan was aware of this.
Deb wasn't sure about everything that had happened at the party but she did know that for some reason Brooke had gone missing. Haley had only left to join the search after giving her instructions to call if Brooke turned up at the house. She didn't. But eventually she did show up with Haley, closely followed by her son.
She still had no idea when or how Peyton came to be at her house this morning.
"Yeah." He continued, folding his arms across the counter and then laying his head back down.
Debbie looked around but there was still no sign that any customers would be arriving anytime soon. And with the rain still on, chances were it would be a slow morning.
With a final look at the boy in front of her Debbie turned around and made her way back to find out how Karen was getting on trying to get in touch with a supplier that was sending the wrong coffee order to the store, for the second time in two months.
Standing in the doorway she noticed Karen was no longer on the phone. "Get everything sorted out?" She asked.
Karen sighed as she scribbled down a note and stuck it into the calendar pad on the desk.
"For now." She told her, not completely happy with the way her supplier had dealt with the issue. She'd order over ten different types of coffee but had only received less than half that amount on Friday.
Now the rest of the order was apparently due to arrive tomorrow, which meant they could run short if they were really busy. Sadly, given that it was Sunday and they were still having bad weather, that wasn't likely to happen.
But she was still considering switching suppliers.
She shook her head and stood up, not wanting to continue to think about that problem, when she had another sat out in the front of her cafe.
"Has Lucas moved yet?" She asked with a fond smile. She remembered being her son's age, she did, that was the main reason she'd chosen to vacuum the hallway besides Lucas' room just after she'd heard him stumbling home.
Deb laughed quietly. "Not much, but he did mention that he was going over to see Nathan soon." She informed her.
"Really, and what like was Nathan this morning? Maybe they can suffer together while Haley threatens them with food." Karen said with a laugh.
Deb frowned. "Did Lucas not say anything about what went on at the party last night?"
"No, he only got home this morning, early this morning." Karen replied, wondering what Debbie was talking about.
Deb stuck her head back in the direction of Lucas only to see an empty counter. She looked back at Karen no longer needing to lower her voice.
"Brooke went missing."
Karen was clearly shocked at the news but that quickly turned into concern for the young girl. "Has she been found? Lucas never mentioned anything like th-"
"She's with Nathan and Haley back at the house, Peyton's there too." Deb said quickly, not wanting Karen to get too upset.
"Is she okay? What happened?" Karen asked, returning to her seat, her pregnancy dictating she sit sideways.
Debbie wasn't sure what to say, because she didn't know if Brooke was okay, and she had no idea what the whole incident was about in the first place. "I don't know Karen." She replied honestly. "What I do know is that Haley practically ran out of the house late last night after getting a call from Nathan, she told me Brooke had gone missing and to call her if she turned up at the house while she was out looking." She explained. "She turned up with Haley, not looking too good a while later. But I haven't any clue what it was all about."
Karen still looked upset at the news. She couldn't understand how her son failed to mention Brooke's disappearance, surely he'd known?
She sighed. Her heart went out to Brooke, at eighteen years of age the girl had lived through more than her fair share of problems.
"Do you know, when I first heard that Lucas was dating Brooke, I really didn't think much of her at the time." She admitted to Debbie. "I always thought that maybe Lucas would realise what a wonderful girl Haley was." She said sharing a smile with the woman that now had Haley as a daughter-in-law.
"Brooke scared the life out of me, and I'll admit she wasn't the type of girl I wanted for my son." She continued. "But that was before I ever got to know her."
Deb nodded, she remembered her encounter with Brooke and Lucas.
"And she really is a lovely girl, despite the way her parents have chosen to raise her. I just can't help but wish that they would get back here to help her through this point in her life. Surely they must have heard by now?" Karen said, still distressed at the idea that something else was happening to the girl.
Debbie took another look towards the front of the store but it was still empty, so she moved to take a seat in front of Karen's desk.
"I know I've made my own mistakes with my son," Deb told her.
"Haven't we all." Karen muttered.
"But how can you just abandon your child while you move to the other side of the country? It about killed me when Nathan told me he wanted nothing to with his father or I, he's my son." She explained.
She had known the Davis' for quite some time but had never much enjoyed their company. Instead, she was taken by the sight of her son and their five year old daughter, slowly develop a strong friendship during the parties both families had attended.
A friendship that remained close to this day.
Brooke may have lacked parents that cared enough to do more than make sure money entered her bank account each month, but she did have a group of friends that did their best to make sure she was okay.
Karen groaned and stood up, grabbing her keys as Debbie joined her.
"Suddenly, I have a need to go see how all of those children are doing. Care to join me?" She asked only to receive a smile of agreement from the other woman.
There definitely were more important things in life than coffee orders.
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Brooke popped an eye open as she heard a door close hard.
"What was that?" She asked from her position on top of Peyton's chest. They had gotten into bed after their shower and Brooke had been dozing on and off since then. Unlike Peyton who didn't see the need to sleep when she had Brooke wrapped around her.
"Not sure." Peyton replied absently as her hand continued to trail light patterns up and down the other girls back. This was something she'd feared never having the chance to do again after last night, and she wasn't going to waste her time alone with Brooke by sleeping it away.
Brooke rolled her eye at the blonde but didn't bother continuing with talking and simply closed her eye and shifted, trying to get Peyton's hand to reach a specific spot on her back.
Peyton grinned well aware of what Brooke was trying to do, still, she saw no need to deny her and easily let her fingers scratch softly over the area.
Brooke sighed at the touch and turned her head to drop a kiss on the shoulder beneath her in thank you. She wasn't sure what it was about scar tissue but her back had a tendency to itch now and again, and it wasn't where she could easily reach to scratch it herself.
Just then there was a knock on their door and Haley opened it just enough to stick her head inside. "You guys mind if I come in?"
"Nah." Brooke replied with a shake of her head.
Peyton turned to the door still smiling and told her friend, "Nope." And soon Haley and the two books she had been carrying joined them on the bed.
Brooke shifted on top of Peyton so that she could now see Haley who was sat on the other side of the bed going through one of the books. She shared a look with Peyton before turning back to her friend. "Everything okay Hales?" She asked.
"Everything's fine." Haley replied as she found her place and continued where she'd left off in her own room.
Brooke raised an eyebrow at Peyton after she watched Haley concentrate on the book in front of her. Peyton just shrugged back at her looking like she wanted to laugh at the way their friend was behaving.
"Just carry on with whatever you were doing... just pretend I'm not even here." Haley told them as she kept reading.
Oh, this could be trouble. Peyton thought as Brooke looked straight at her again.
"Now Brooke..."
"She did say just to pretend she wasn't here." Brooke interrupted Peyton as she inched her head closer to the blonde's.
"Uh..." Peyton managed to say just as a pair of soft lips made contact with her own. Her eyes closed and she froze unsure how to react knowing Haley was sat right beside them and was no doubt watching this.
Brooke relented and pulled back to see Peyton slowly lick her lips and then open her eyes to look at her. She smiled back as Peyton grinned and tightened her hold around her waist.
"I'm pretty sure we weren't doing that before Haley got here." Peyton said not daring to look anywhere but at Brooke right now.
"No," Brooke conceded. "But I was thinking about it."
"Really?" Peyton replied, extremely pleased at the thought.
Brooke nodded shyly and Peyton let out a small laugh in delight and pulled her closer, giving her a small kiss of her own.
Peyton had been nervous, wondering how they would act around each other after her confession and kiss outside, now she realised that she'd been worried about nothing, Brooke didn't seem overly concerned and like she'd said in the shower, they'd go slow with this.
Haley couldn't quite believe what she had just witnessed, while she may have suspected that there was something going on between Brooke and Peyton it was another thing to actually see the evidence right in front of her.
"When did... how did... who?" Haley stuttered out as her studies were long forgotten.
"All good questions," Brooke said before smirking at the blonde again and laying her head back down on Peyton's shoulder. "That Peyton would be more than happy to answer."
Peyton shook her head and squeezed the girl in her arms. "See, this is you being mean to me again." She told her.
Brooke just giggled in reply keeping her head turned away from Hale's curious gaze.
"Okay, now as cute as you two are being right now, someone better start explaining cause I'm very confused." Haley said with a slightly more serious tone than she'd hoped for. She knew Brooke had feelings for Peyton, she had absolutely no problem with that whatsoever but hadn't Peyton only just broken up with Lucas? As in a few hours ago?
"Haley?" Brooke asked tentatively, she hadn't thought Haley would have had a problem with her and Peyton together, she hadn't seemed shocked by the idea last night.
Haley winced and shook her head, not liking the idea that she'd upset Brooke, not to mention the glare Peyton was sending her way. "I didn't mean it that way, I just... I'm surprised that's all." She explained which let them all relax a little.
"It's just really soon to be thinking... isn't it?" She asked looking at each of them in turn. They just stared back at her quietly which made her feel worse. "Look, I'm not trying to put the dampener on you guys-"
"Why stop now?" Peyton mumbled.
"But, don't you think it's a little soon? I mean last night was difficult for everyone, I get that, I just don't want anyone getting hurt more than they have to." Haley finished explaining, not that it made her feel any better.
She honestly thought she wouldn't have any problem with Peyton and Brooke getting together, she'd felt there was something more between them for a long time. The way they both got jealous when the other was dating someone, the way they argued with each other but would defend them to anyone else, not to mention all the shared looks and inside jokes.
They had always seemed to just fit together.
But where did that leave Lucas?
Haley sighed and scrubbed her hands over her face, wishing she'd never come into their room now.
Brooke watched her friend for a moment, she wasn't hurt by what Haley had just said, maybe a little disappointed she wasn't as happy with the development as she was, but she got that Haley was struggling with how she should feel about it. Lucas had been like a brother to her growing up, not only that but he was her husband's brother, he was family now.
Unlike herself and Peyton who's relationships to her landed somewhere between her husband's ex-love interests and her best friends.
How exactly was she supposed to react?
"It's okay Haley." She told her, moving to place a hand on her friends arm.
Peyton tried her best not to scowl, considering she didn't think it was okay, but she had to admit Haley looked pretty miserable right now.
Haley gave Brooke a doubtful look, but laid her hand over the one on her forearm. "Thanks, but I know that wasn't the kind of reaction you were expecting."
Brooke shrugged as best she could in her position.
"Just give me a little time to get my head around it, okay?" Haley offered as she moved to get off the bed they were currently all sharing.
"Take as long as you need, Haley." Brooke replied before watching the pregnant girl give them a smile and leave the room, books forgotten on the bed where she had sat moments before.
Peyton waited for Brooke to say something, anything, but she just resumed her usual place and fell silent.
"Hey, she just needs some time Brooke." Peyton said trying to give some kind of reassurance. "It'll work out."
"Will it Peyton?" Brooke replied quietly not looking at Peyton. "I'm not so sure it will." She confessed, half afraid that Haley was right and that it was too soon.
Peyton swallowed and quickly tried to find the right words to make Brooke understand that Haley was wrong about them.
"Brooke look at me please?" She asked, waiting until Brooke did and then moved so they both sat up, then licked her top lip nervously praying she got this right because she could see the beginnings of tears in those brown eyes watching her now.
"I don't really care what Haley or Nathan or, hell, even Lucas has to say about us, they can think what they want Brooke." She told her before cupping the face in front of her and pulling it closer. "I should have broken up with Lucas sooner, we both know that, it was a mistake letting things get so... messed up, in my head, that it took last night before I realised that." She admitted.
Brooke sniffed as a tear rolled down her cheek only to be wiped away by Peyton's thumb.
"I've made a lot of mistakes in my life Brooke, but this, us? This will never be a mistake. The mistake was waiting until I almost lost you to admit how much I can't live without you." Peyton told her as her own eyes watered. "I love you Brooke Davis, and I'll never be ashamed or embarrassed of how I feel about you."
Brooke shook her head free from Peyton's hold with a small laugh as tears were ignored. "Just kiss me already, Sawyer!" She demanded.
Peyton grinned at her before smiling into the kiss they shared.
As they pulled back Brooke let her eyes close as Peyton rested her head against hers, then, after a breath she took a chance and whispered, "I love you too Peyton."
Peyton wasn't sure it was possible to be as happy as she was right now, at least not without the aid of something highly illegal, but she was.
And she wouldn't let anyone try to tell her it was wrong.
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Now in her own bedroom Haley had no idea what to do. Peyton was upset with her, that much had been abundantly clear before she'd left Brooke and Peyton alone, and she couldn't even blame the blonde for her reaction.
It was her own reaction to the kiss her two friends had just shared that she didn't understand. She'd known this was were things had been heading with them, she'd known from the moment Nathan had told her Brooke had confessed to being gay that Peyton was the one she had feelings for.
She'd even hinted at this with Peyton subtly over the last week.
So why the hell did I just act like I'm not okay with them being together, I know how much they care about each other, it almost killed Peyton when Brooke was in the hospital. I should be congratulating them on finally getting their act together instead of...
She sighed and sat down heavily on the edge of her bed. Her emotions were so mixed up right now she had no idea what she was feeling. So she stood and decided to turn her attention on her husband, now all she had to do was find him.
Carefully navigating her unbalanced body down the staircase Haley was planning on checking out the side of the house to see if Nathan was shooting hoops on the driveway, weather be damned, but the smell of cooking had her going towards the kitchen.
What she saw gave her a shock.
Not only was Nathan there, but so to was Lucas, Karen and Debbie, who all turned to look at her as she came further into the room.
Shooting her husband a quick glance she plastered on a smile for everyone else in the room. "Hey, looks like the gang's all here bright and early." She greeted them, hoping Nathan had gotten the discreet 'I'm going to kill you for this' that she had sent his way.
Deb smiled at her before continuing to fill a plate with pancakes, "Well everyone isn't here yet, why don't you ask Brooke and Peyton to come down, we've made plenty." She asked.
Haley froze much in the same way Nathan did at his mom's mention of their friends.
Lucas' head shot up. He hadn't really been in the mood for talking when he'd arrived, instead he'd been happy to be left in relative peace to deal with his hangover and heartache while the others talked.
"Peyton's here?" He asked to no one in particular.
"And Brooke." Deb answered, not aware that she'd said anything he hadn't already known. "They stayed over last night." She continued.
That had Lucas shooting out of his seat and moving past Haley only to have her grab at his arm to hold him in place as Nathan came to stand in front of him too.
He frowned at them. "I just need to talk to her, I went by the apartment this morning but know one answered, I never even knew she came here."
Haley nodded in understanding but refused to let go. "I get that Lucas, I do, but now really isn't the best time to talk to her."
"She's right man, Peyton's here for Brooke so you need to just leave them be." Nathan told his brother.
Karen had watched quietly but when her son remained where he was she decided to step in, "Lucas sit down and try and eat some of this," She waited but he didn't even turn to look at her. "Now please." She said more firmly.
Lucas relented and sat back down.
Haley sighed in relief and then followed Nathan to a seat around the table Karen and Lucas were already sat. "Need any help with this Deb?" She asked, more out of politeness than any desire to actually help, though she could always volunteer Nathan's services.
"No thank you honey." Deb replied placing a final two plates onto the table and taking her own seat.
Only no one seemed very eager to eat anymore.
The two older women got the feeling that there was a lot more going on with the young adults around them than either of them guessed. This breakfast wasn't turning out to be the relaxed fair they'd thought it would be.
Both Haley and Nathan looked tense and Lucas kept looking off in the direction of the staircase.
"Okay," Karen started, no longer willing to pretend everything was fine. "Would anyone like to explain what is going on?"
Nathan looked at Haley not sure what to say, or if they should say anything, especially with Lucas sat beside them.
"Nathan?" Debbie asked, knowing he would cave in sooner than his wife would.
"It isn't really our place to say anything Debbie." Haley said before Nathan could respond.
"But something has happened? More than Brooke's attack at prom I mean," Karen spoke up getting the others attention. "Deb said that Brooke had gone missing last night?"
Haley rubbed the base of her neck not sure how to answer.
"She freaked out at the party and took off in her car." Lucas explained with a shake of his head still having a hard time with everything that had followed Brooke walking into the room when he was with Peyton. His night had gone from bad to worse and now he couldn't even try and fix any of it because Peyton was still chasing after Brooke.
He didn't get it, why did Peyton have to come over here when she'd known Brooke was okay with Haley, it just didn't make sense to him. She should have been back at the apartment, at least then he'd have the chance to talk to her, explain things to her. Now he was in the same house as her but it didn't seem like he was going to get to talk to her, not with the way Nathan and Haley were acting.
"There was a little more to it than that Luke, and you know it!" Nathan replied quickly, frowning at his brother's attitude, even if he was still hung over that wasn't much of an excuse.
"Is Brooke okay? Should I go talk to her?" Karen asked out of concern for the brunette.
Haley gave her surrogate mother a smile. "I think Brooke is feeling much better this morning but she and Peyton never got much rest last night, maybe later she wouldn't mind talking with you."
Karen nodded.
Debbie waited, but when everyone fell silent again she decided to just ask, "So what exactly did happen last night?"
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"Are you sure about this Brooke?" Peyton asked as she placed Brooke's overnight bag onto the bed.
Brooke smiled sadly but gave her a nod, "Yeah," She replied tucking the last few things into her bag. "Haley and Nathan have been great, but they have their own stuff to deal with, you know?" She explained. "They don't need me adding my problems."
Peyton sighed and walked over and rapped her arms around Brooke from behind and just held her.
"I don't think they see you as a problem, honey, you're their friend, they just want to help... that's what friends do." Peyton told her quietly, remembering the looks she'd received from the pair when Brooke had disappeared last night.
Brooke just let herself get lost in having Peyton so close. But she couldn't help but wonder if what Peyton had said still held true, she wasn't sure anymore.
"Come on," She said in a more upbeat tone as she turned in Peyton's arms. "We can let them study in piece today at least, I owe them that much."
Peyton screwed her face up unhappily, "But that means going back to the apartment."
"Uh huh?" Brooke agreed not seeing her point.
Peyton rolled her eyes at her only to receive a light smack to her bottom in reprimand which only made her grin.
Brooke sighed dramatically.
Peyton laughed then explained, "You do remember what was going on there last night, right?"
Brooke dropped her eyes not wanting to talk about last night.
"And I don't recall you ever being in this much of a rush to get your hands dirty before." Peyton continue unaware of Brooke's discomfort at the topic.
"Huh?" Brooke asked looking up at her.
Peyton laughed at Brooke's lost look. "You know the party? The place is a mess let me tell you!"
Brooke sagged against her in relief which only drew Peyton's attention more.
"Brooke? What did you think I was talking about?" She asked but Brooke wouldn't answer her, it didn't take her long to work it out for herself though. "Oh."
Yeah. Brooke thought but kept quiet, choosing instead to pull away from Peyton and busy herself with pretending to finish her packing, keeping her back to the blonde.
Peyton let her go and watched her carefully, Brooke's back was rigid with tension and she knew her silence was probably making things worse, but she wasn't sure now was the right time to go over last night with Brooke.
Even though she had originally planned to last night, she just never got around to it.
But the last thing she wanted was for Brooke to keep thinking what she was obviously thinking right now.
"Brooke?" Peyton said softly as she moved to place her hands on Brooke's hips. "Brooke stop." She told her as she reached around her and took the bag away, dropping it to the floor.
"Peyton can we just not talk about last night, please?" Brooke asked, afraid she was about to break down and start crying.
Peyton hesitated for only a second before turning Brooke around to face her. "Brooke, we need to talk about this." She told her.
Brooke sat down and crossed her arms over her chest, she didn't want to hear about this but knew she couldn't stop Peyton.
Kneeling down in front of her Peyton let one of her hands rub over a thigh in an effort to calm Brooke down a little.
"It isn't what you think Brooke, I never slept with Lucas last night." She confessed.
Brooke snorted and shook her head. "I'm not blind Peyton, I know what I saw!" She replied not believing Peyton was trying to deny what had happened.
Peyton nodded, understanding Brooke would have a little trouble believing her to start with. "Right, but what exactly did you see last night?"
Brooke glared at her and Peyton immediately closed her eyes at the pain she saw behind her friends anger. "I'm not trying to hurt you Brooke, I swear." She told her as she opened her eyes again.
Brooke swallowed and tried to think. "I saw you, and Lucas, and your clothes all over the floor." She managed to tell her.
"Right." Peyton agreed giving Brooke a small smile. "I was at one end of the room and Lucas was-"
"In the bed." Brooke finished for her.
Peyton nodded. "And I get that it looked bad Brooke, but I never slept with him, I couldn't. I was in the middle of breaking up with him when you walked in." She explained, although she knew Lucas had no idea why she'd suddenly shot out of the bed and put as much distance as she could between them while mumbling to herself.
But she had been trying to tell him that his touch made her stomach flip, and not in a good way.
"Really?" Brooke asked hopefully.
"Yeah," Peyton replied scooting as close to her as she could. "I was acting stupid, Chase was hanging all over you the whole night and... and did I mention I had been drinking and was acting really stupid?" She asked giving Brooke a half smile begging for forgiveness.
Brooke paused, having caught the comment about Chase.
"P. Sawyer got jealous?" Brooke asked, not really believing that was the reason Peyton had been with Lucas even if they hadn't actually slept together.
Peyton lifted her hand with her thumb and forefinger an inch apart confessing, "Maybe a little?" That got a smile from the brunette. "Okay, maybe a lot." Peyton answered with a roll of her eyes as she felt a blush work up her neck.
"You, are an idiot." Brooke told her with a shake of her head.
"But I'm your idiot." Peyton told her with a goofy grin hoping they finally had last night out of the way and could now start to look forward.
"Yes." Brooke replied leaning down to meet Peyton's lips with her own in a soft kiss.
"I can't believe you were jealous." Brooke repeated. "Of Chase."
Peyton's eyes popped open wide as she stared at Brooke. "Is there anyone else I should be jealous of?" She asked jokingly only to get a shove that knocked her onto the floor where she lay laughing as Brooke stood up.
"You goof." Brooke said, wondering how Peyton could be jealous of anyone when she was the only one she'd ever really wanted to be with. She'd never loved anyone the way she loved Peyton.
"Here," Brooke said picking up her bag and tossing it onto the blonde. "Make yourself useful and take that out to the car."
Peyton got to her feet and grabbed the bag with a smile still on her face. "Yes dear."
Brooke shook her head as she watched her friend leave the room. "Goof."
She looked around the room to make sure she hadn't left any of her things, but she seemed to have packed everything. Now all she had to do was thank Nathan and Haley for being there for her last night and then she and Peyton could head back to the apartment.
She wasn't sure how things would work out in the end but she hoped this wasn't the last time she was in this house, not only were Haley and Nathan close to her only family, out with Peyton of course, but there was a little boy she'd been looking forward to meeting soon.
Sighing she closed the door behind her and followed after Peyton, she'd made her way to the bottom of the stairs before focusing on anything other than her sore leg.
But when she took in the scene in front of her she suddenly felt faint.
"Lucas."
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AN/ Okay folks, I admit I still haven't gotten around to replying to the last few rounds of chapter replies, sorry.
It really does mean a lot to me to have you guys respond to a chapter, good or bad, I like hearing from you guys. There's not much point posting if no one's reading right? And I know a lot of you have been reading this for quite some time, even if you are just hoping I'll finally post the good stuff ;D (not yet folks!) so thanks for taking the time to read this and I hope you still enjoy it!
This weekend is pretty busy, there's a league to be won ;) but I will try and get back to you guys, even if it is really late.
Aren't I always though?
So, yeah, thanks for reading and I'll see you next time!
Oh, and don't get too upset with Haley, I'm totally blaming junior for her having no idea how she really feels! It'll work out.