Part 47

Peyton's heart thundered in panic as she turned and saw Brooke standing a few feet away staring at Lucas' hold on her arm.

Quickly she jerked out of his grasp and motioned to Brooke. "Come on let's get out of here." And extended her hand out to her friend.

Brooke swallowed, glancing from the hand to Lucas Scott, who was standing there glaring at her. Had Haley told him? Was that why he was here?

She wouldn't have done that, would she? Brooke honestly didn't think Haley would, but why else would he be looking at her like that.

Realising what was wrong Peyton stepped between the pair so that the only person Brooke could now see was her. Once Brooke made eye contact and Peyton could see how afraid she was, Peyton quickly closed the distance and pulled the brunette closer with her arm.

"It's time to go home, Brooke." She told her softly, eventually getting a nod from Brooke.

Lucas shifted his feet, he wanted to tell Peyton to come with him, that they had a lot to sort out after last night. But how could he do that now that Brooke was there?

"We still need to finish this Peyton." He told her as they started to move passed him towards the door.

Peyton looked at him angrily. "We are finished Lucas, more talking isn't going to change that." She explain, hoping he'd let them leave in peace.

Lucas sighed and watched them, how could his life go from being perfect to nothing in the blink of an eye? Nathan and that stupid tape! The minute Peyton saw that thing everything changed, everything.

He was so angry inside at the turn his life had taken since that night, but he had no idea who it was he should be angry at. Himself for believing Peyton was this special girl that he wanted to spend the rest of his life getting to know? At Nathan, because he'd never been able to keep his pants on before Haley? Or Brooke and Peyton?

Because both of them had done nothing but mess him around since he'd made the basketball team. Peyton wanted him then she didn't, Brooke wanted him and got him, but then Peyton changed her mind. So after breaking things off with Brooke for Peyton, turns out that even though Brooke treated her like a bitch, Peyton said it wouldn't work between them.

And when it finally looks like I was going to get my chance with Peyton, what happens? Brooke comes along and screws everything up for us, first by being just like her mom and spreading her legs for any guy that looks at her, and then by 'needing' Peyton to look after her now.

He ground his teeth together as he thought about last night and the party. Brooke had looked and acted very much like the Brooke of old, laughing, drinking, basically running the night. So why the hell does she need to hang off of Peyton twenty-four-seven?

"Hey, Lucas." Debbie greeted him as she went to investigate the closing door they'd heard from the kitchen. "Finally decided to head home?" She asked as he stood there.

Lucas frowned. "Uh, no." He watched a puzzled look cross Deb's face as she glanced at the door. "Brooke and Peyton just left." He told her then walked past her.

Debbie closed her mouth as Lucas brushed by her without another word. Someone's regretting drinking last night. She thought to herself, ignoring Lucas' attitude, but she was a little disappointed to have missed the girls, she and Karen had been hoping to talk to them.

She shrugged her shoulders thinking that with their finals starting tomorrow they probably could do without the Spanish Inquisition from them. Plus we'll see them at some point this week.

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"You okay?" Peyton asked as she locked the apartment door. Brooke hadn't spoken to her at all on the way home, and she wasn't sure if the pain of her leg was bothering her or if seeing Lucas had upset her.

I'm going with Lucas.

Brooke stood with her back to the blonde as she took in the pig sty they once called home.

This is why NOT to throw parties in your own home, no one sticks around for the clean up.

She couldn't help but pout as she stared at the pile of empty bottles and cans littering the kitchen work tops, there were pizza boxes lying on the floor, remnants of food were dotted about on the floor.

But just as she was seconds away from throwing a hissy fit at the state their friends had left their home in, two arms wrapped around her waist from behind and she was pulled back against Peyton's warm body.

"Hmmm," She hummed happily as she rested her head back against the blonde's shoulder. "Think if we closer our eyes for long enough, it'll all disappear?" She asked hopefully.

Peyton chuckled and dropped a kiss a soft kiss on Brooke's cheek, letting her lips linger for a moment. Then she tightened her hold, feeling Brooke cover her hands with her own and whispered, "Tell you what? Close your eyes for five minutes while I run you a bath, and by the time your finished soaking, this place will look just like new."

They swayed their peacefully while Brooke contemplated such a generous offer, but in the end Brooke just couldn't let Peyton tackle the mess all on her own. "Nope. Quicker we get started the quicker it's done." She said, slapping Peyton's hands gently and pulling away from her.

Peyton frowned as she watched Brooke head into the kitchen and open one of the lower cupboards, look inside and then close it. After this was repeated three more times Peyton couldn't help but smirk at the brunette, who was closing each door with more force than the last.

"Argh!" Brooke placed her hands on her hips in frustration, only to hear Peyton laugh.

Turning to glare at her friend Brooke asked, "And just what is it you find so amusing Blondie?"

Other than you? Peyton bit her lip to keep from voicing that thought and instead calmed down enough to ask, "What exactly is it that you are looking for?" But Brooke just continued to glare at her. Aww, now she's looking even cuter!

"I might be able to find it?" Peyton said, unsuccessfully trying to hide her growing amusement.

Brooke sighed heavily and decided to take her up on the offer. It's not like I should know where the damn things are anyway! "Garbage bags."

"Drawer under the cutlery." Peyton answered her promptly.

"Bitch."

Peyton laughed and crossed over as Brooke pulled out a roll. "Here, give me a couple and I'll start at the couch."

Brooke watched her for a second with a smile then realised Peyton had given her the tougher half of the house. She sighed and set about getting started, promising herself a shower the minute they finished as she picked up a slice of pizza stuck to the floor and bagged it. "Our friends are disgusting."

Peyton smirked at the comment, agreeing with her, but she just kept dumping everything she came across into her bag. Soon enough they managed to fill four of the things and had them tied waiting by the door.

"You wanting to get that bath now?" Peyton asked as she saw Brooke trying her best to move a strand of hair from her own face without actually touching it with her fingers.

"God yes!" Brooke replied, feeling gross at the things she'd just had to touch with her own hands. "Remind me to never do this again."

Peyton knew better than to point out she'd tried to warn her a party wasn't the best idea. "Well, give me a minute to take these down to the bins and I might offer to scrub your back for you." Peyton told her sending her a wink.

Brooke blushed and shook her head as the blonde lifted the first two bags and disappeared out the front door. "Stinks of stale pizza but at least it's looking liveable again." She said aloud as she scanned the room to see if they'd missed anything. It didn't seem like they had so she moved off to the bathroom, which she found surprisingly clean given the condition the rest of the place had been left in.

Leaving the water to run she walked into the bedroom for a change of clothes, it wasn't until she stepped into the room that the images of last night all came rushing back. She screwed her eyes shut not wanting to see Lucas stretched out in her bed waiting on Peyton to return to him.

She jumped with a yelp at the touch of a hand to her back.

"Hey, you okay?" Peyton asked concerned.

Brooke tried to recover as best she could. "Yeah, fine." She replied, but she knew she voice had been shaky at best. She cleared her throat and glanced away from the blonde who was watching her cautiously, trying to figure out what was wrong.

Actually it didn't take much for Peyton to work out what had upset her friend considering she'd been staring at the bed when she walked in. Recalling what she'd done in here last night caused a knot to form in the pit of her guts. She hated that she'd caused Brooke more pain.

Her eyes followed the brunette as she sifted through her things in a drawer.

She walked up behind her and reached around to still Brooke's hands. Brooke stilled as the blonde pressed against her back. "Nothing happened with him last night. Not whatever your imagining anyway." Peyton whispered to her.

Brooke blinked, she really didn't want to talk about this, they'd already hashed over this mess back at Nate's, did they need to do it all over again? What was the point? Peyton had apologised, admitted she'd been acting jealous because of Chase, why make her continue to say sorry all the time?

Brooke sighed as Peyton wrapped her in her arms. She wasn't trying to hurt Peyton, or make her feel worse over last night, she just wanted... what did she want?

"I love you Brooke." Peyton told her softly.

That'd be what I'm looking for. Brooke thought fleetingly as she turned in Peyton's arms and kissed her solidly on the mouth.

Peyton giggled through the kiss, but returned it and adjusted her hold on the brunette.

Brooke pulled back and looked Peyton in the eyes, "I love you too." She told her and they shared a smile.

"Good to know." Peyton said leaning in a brushing her nose against Brookes before capturing her lips again and kissing her, slowly at first then letting go a little as she felt Brookes tongue slip out to touch her lip before retreating. She briefly wondered if Brooke was ready for more than just chaste kissing before figuring that Brooke would let her know if she wanted to stop and gave in, opening her own mouth and deepening the kiss, entering Brooke's mouth with her own inquisitive tongue.

Brooke moaned into the kiss and her hands grasped at Peyton clothes.

Peyton was brought back to her senses as she her mind registered one of Brooke's had slipped under her t-shirt and was inching its way up towards her breast.

She pulled out of the kiss but used her hands to cup Brooke's face, not wanting her to think she was doing anything wrong, in fact under different circumstances Peyton wouldn't have thought twice as to what was going to happen next, but she did think, she had to, there was no way she was willing to risk hurt Brooke by pushing things between them to happen too quickly.

"What?" Brooke asked, stilling her movements.

Peyton gave her a soft, lingering kiss, but pulled back before it became anything more. She could see Brooke's eyes had glazed over in arousal and was sure her own weren't hiding the fact she was enjoying this just as much.

"Well," Peyton spoke huskily, her eyes drifting occasionally to take in the swollen lips in front of her. "As much as I want to get you naked right now," She told her with a wide grin. "I think there's a bath tub calling your name."

Brooke pouted. "Tease."

Peyton laughed, glad Brooke didn't seem upset with her for pressing the breaks on their libidos.

Brooke turns back around to pick up her clothes, trying to steady her breathing. "First she says she loves me, then she says she wants me naked..." She mumbled to herself while shaking her head.

Peyton just waits on her to finish and together they head into the bathroom, Peyton had poured in some bath salts before looking in the bedroom, and the air was now permeated with the smell of lavender.

She closed and locked the door as Brooke put down her things and tested the temperature of the water before turning the tap off, satisfied it was to her liking.

Brooke stood up and reached for the hem of her top when Peyton slipped over beside her and covered her hands.

"Why don't I help you with that?" Peyton offered.

Brooke gazed at Peyton, unable to speak as she detected the heat still simmering in the green eyes looking at her.

Peyton waited on the nod of consent before continuing her actions. Gently taking the top and dropping it to the floor before reaching around Brooke's body and unclasping her bra, letting that fall too, all without ever removing her eyes from Brooke's.

"You know," Brooke said with a smirk edging at her lips. "Your going to get a reputation for never following through if you keep this up." She told her cheekily.

She gasped as Peyton eyes turned almost hazel and she felt the blondes finger tips trail down her sides and her hands come to rest in the small of her back, pulling her half-naked body into hers.

"I don't know Brooke," Peyton replied as she inched her head closer. "One of these days I might just surprise you." She whispered to her before crushing their lips together as her hands drifted down under Brookes clothes grasping handfuls of skin.

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AN/

Pretty short update I admit, but I plan on posting another chapter by the end of next week to make up for it.

How's it going?

Everyone still around?

What can I say, I hated how the show ended and I find it hard to believe I'll watch next season no matter how much I love Sophia, I'll miss the lack of Breyton too much :)

Anyways, thanks for reading, review if you want to, and I'll catch you all next time!