Part 64

Peyton pulled one of her band t-shirts on over her bra as she was walking out of her bedroom in search for Brooke and found her girlfriend sat at the breakfast bar half way through a bowl of cereal.

Brooke looked up to see Peyton's face screw up in disgust. "Don't knock it Pey, it's like, all we have in here to eat!" She moaned forcing herself to have another mouthful. She was starving and it wasn't like either of them had got dinner last night and even with Peyton's driving, there was no way they'd be able to stop before they were due at school.

Peyton shook her head then came around and cuddled up to Brooke from behind, kissing her on an exposed part of her neck.

Brooke grinned, leaning slightly to give Peyton more room. She giggled as Peyton took her up on the offer, laying several more kisses onto her skin. "Here, chomp on this." She said lifting her spoon for the blonde.

Peyton pouted, only her need to keep Brooke in her arms stopping her from backing away from the horrible sight. "Do I have to?" She whined.

"Well now you do." Brooke replied with a smirk, turning and holding the spoon in Peyton's direction.

Peyton sulked, folding her arms across her chest and narrowing her eyes as milk dripped from the spoon onto the floor.

Brooke rolled her eyes. "Oh come on Peyton! It's cereal!"

Peyton's eyes softened and she knew she wouldn't be able to hold out for much longer, not with Brooke looking at her with that smirk on her beautiful face. Her lip extended further. "But I don't want to." She said weakly although she was trying to stay strong.

"Pleeese." Brooke asks holding back a laugh.

Huffing out a breath in one last act of reluctance, Peyton leaned closer and snapped her teeth over the held out spoon, chewed rapidly before swallowing and stuck out her tongue at Brooke to show the deed was done. "There, happy?"

Giggling, Brooke nodded and resumed eating. "Yeah."

Peyton wasn't happy though, there wasn't a nice aftertaste left in her mouth. Moving quickly into the kitchen and filling a glass with tap water she drank it down in a few gulps. "Ugh." Even after that the taste was still there. She opened the cupboard and pulled out the coffee jar then switched on the kettle.

Almost finished with her cereal Brooke wondered what Peyton was up to, they had to leave like right now. "Peyton?"

Peyton glanced back at Brooke quickly, desperate for the bitter taste of caffeine. "Yeah?" The kettle boiled. "Finally!" She muttered pouring the still bubbling liquid over the coffee granules and stirring it rapidly.

"You feeling okay?" Brooke asked sceptically as she watched her crazy girlfriend try drinking burning hot coffee.

"Oh, yeah." The loss of the ability to taste was good thing in Peyton's book right now. "Great." She said turning to lean against the counter and sip at her drink again, only this time she blew on it first to prevent any more third degree burns to her mouth. "And by the way, I think the milks off."

Now Brooke laughed, understanding a little better now. "It was soy Peyton."

Peyton screwed her face up at that explanation. That was worse than sour milk. "Ew." Peyton would have put coffee in her cereal before using soy milk!

Brooke shrugged. "Like I said Pey, we're low on food. I think Haley left it."

Peyton snorted, gratefully drinking more of her coffee. "More like Nathan. And on purpose."

Breakfast done Brooke got up and placed her bowl in the sink then headed for the bedroom to pick up her notebook. "Enjoy that while I grab my stuff." Brooke said leaning up and meeting Peyton for a kiss.

"I will." Peyton replied watching Brooke head back for their room.

Brooke wasn't sure why she even bothered taking it with her to look over it again, she was pushing it just by turning up for her exams. Haley James Scott she wasn't but she would try and do her best, even if her best wasn't that great.

Finding it on the floor she sat down on the bed and opened it to the last page of notes she'd made.

Half a page of notes. That's what she'd condensed a full year of classes into. Bet Haley has a full book just with notes!

Brooke snorted and slammed her book closed.

Peyton eyed Brooke from the doorway. "You okay?" She asked softly.

Brooke's head snapped up and her grin was perfectly in place as she met Peyton's gaze, but the look of concern was so strong that the smile slipped from her face just as quickly as she'd put it there. Peyton didn't deserve her usual 'everything's great' act. Peyton was the one person who got let inside that wall she hid behind when things got hard for her.

"Just…what's the point," Brooke said as Peyton came over and sat down beside her, her hand resting gently on her thigh. "It's not like I'm going to ace this, or any of my exams for that matter." She finished dropping her notebook onto the floor and shaking her head.

"Hey!" Peyton was a little taken aback by the sudden downturn in Brooke's attitude. She pulled Brooke to her and gave her a hug. "It's nowhere near that bad babe."

"Oh yeah?" Brooke replied with a cocked eyebrow willing to be easily swayed, it wasn't like she was expecting to do well, she'd spent the last few months slacking off and skipping classes. But the idea of actually failing made her feel less than useless.

"Yeah, you could still get kicked out!"

"You!" Brooke slapped at her girlfriend as the blonde laughed. "That wasn't nice!" She stated allowing Peyton to pull her back into her arms and start kissing her on the cheek. But she kept her pout in place and a semi-successful scowl.

"Brooke, seriously, it's not that bad." Peyton insisted. "It's just school, and we both know with your fashion line just waiting to blow up when you have the time to pu-"

"And the money, and the connections and the-" Brooke found Peyton's hand stopping her rant, but she appreciated the vote of confidence. Peyton was right, she didn't really need school, not when her goal in life had always been to see someone at the Oscars wearing one of her dresses. Well, that and one day being able to call the girl beside her, her one and only.

She grinned behind Peyton's hand. The blonde was so cute when she was trying to make her feel better. And it worked too. Her future fashion success aside, she had Peyton. The counted way more than a couple of C's from high school, it was even better than a possible fail.

"Ew, Brooke!" Peyton snatched her now wet hand from Brooke's face as the brunette giggle at her.

Brooke stared at Peyton as she scrunched her face up and wiped her hand on their bedding. She rolled her eyes. "And this from the girl who was quite happy no matter where my tongue was last night." She shook her head sadly. "It all changes in the cold hard light of day."

"Oh stop!" Peyton pushed Brooke away from her as she tried to keep from laughing. She pulled Brooke back into her arms. "You know you're right…there are some places I do like you using that particular appendage."

"Oh yeah?"

Peyton nodded and inched closer watching Brooke's pupils dilate and her gaze flick to her lips.

"Kissing you just wouldn't be the same."

"It's a talent." Brooke replied smugly just as Peyton finally leaned over enough so that she could press her own lips to the blondes.

The kiss only lasted a few seconds but it was enough to chase all of Brooke's worries away. She really didn't know why she was stressing so much, Peyton was right it was just school.

Brooke smiled at Peyton and moved so their heads rested together. "Thank you."

Confused Peyton asked, "For what?"

Brooke sighed and lifted her hands to cradle Peyton's face gently, smiling at the blonde as she felt Peyton's hands thigh and her side. "Just…just for being you." She answered not knowing how best to explain that Peyton just always seemed to make everything better for her, even the prospect of flunking out of high school.

Peyton looked on as Brooke chuckled. "Okay?" Confusion aside she was just happy to see Brooke's mood lighten up again.

"I just, I don't know what I'd ever do without you." Brooke said with a shrug then watched Peyton's face light up.

"It's just as well then, because I don't plan on letting you go anywhere without me. You're stuck with me Brooke Penelope Davis, and there's not a thing you can do to change that!" Peyton declared reaching for Brooke's lips again and they giggled through another kiss.

"Now as much as I would L-O-V-E to stay right here and continue this, I thought you said something earlier about us running late for school?" Peyton says reluctantly. As much as she'd rather them both stay right where they were, they probably should at least attempt to make an effort with their last few exams.

Brooke groaned. "Fine!" She said with a pout as Peyton picked up her notebook and handed it back to her as they both stood. "If I must."

"You must."

Brooke was sluggish as they started for the front room. She giggled as Peyton resorted to pushing her along.

"I don't wanna go!"

"You're still going. If I have to they so do you, so suck it up Davis and let's go!" Peyton replied through her laughter.

"But you said it was okay to fail." Brooke said with an exaggerated pout.

Peyton couldn't believe how far Brooke was playing this. She checked her watch and her eyes widened. "Seriously Brooke, if we don't leave soon then we will both be failing."

Brooke grinned. "Great, then why don't we just stay, that could be way more fun than crappy exams."

Peyton narrowed her eyes at her girlfriend.

Ten seconds of a stare off and Brooke gave in. "Fine. We'll go to stupid school."

"Atta girl!" Peyton said with every bit of pep she could muster. Brooke responded by glaring back at her. "Okay then. Why don't you just wait right here, and I'll grab my jacket and we can go."

Brooke sighed as Peyton took off back into their room. "Fine, but I want a reward for my efforts when we get home."

"Okay, I can do that." Peyton agreed slipping on her favourite leather jacket in the hopes it'll keep her relatively dry in the storm outside. "You just let me know what you want."

"Ha!" Brooke said pointing a finger at the blonde. "No way. I'm not doing the work for you, you come up with something Peyton, and it better be good." Brooke all but threatened.

"Oh it will be." Peyton replied willing to rise to the challenge. She took the few steps needed to slip her arms around Brooke and hugged her close. "Of course at this very second all I can come up with is me," Peyton kissed the tip of Brooke's nose. "You, and our bed back there," Now her grin took up her whole face as she stared at Brooke who was now clutching the front of her t-shirt in her hands. Peyton lowered her voice as she leaned close to end her thoughts with, "And making love to my gorgeous girlfriend…who kinda looks like, oh, wait…you."

Brooke thought that sounded perfect. "I love you."

Peyton grinned, feeling their bodies touch all down their fronts. She wiggled her eyebrows. "I love you too, babe."

They eased slowly into another kiss, only this time there was no rush because suddenly it felt like they had all the time in the world.

Unfortunately now was when someone chose to bang on their door.

Peyton grunted in annoyance, her arms still firmly around Brooke. "Who the hell?"

"Well I know who it isn't, Haley still has her key." Brooke replied with a smirk as she gently moved out of Peyton's hold and over towards the door.

"Yeah, but would she still be willing to use it and risk your wrath?" Peyton queried, although she didn't think it was Haley either, not in this weather and not with her being so close to giving birth.

The door knock again, only this time with more urgency.

"Hold on!" Brooke called unsure if she'd even be heard on the other side of the door. As she undid the lock she felt Peyton come over and stand right behind her.

Brooke swung the door open. "Hi!"

Peyton took one look at their visitor and made a noise in the back of her throat before turning to go pick up their bags so they could go, the less time they spent chit-chatting the better in her opinion.

The fake smile was firmly back on Brooke face. "So, mother, what brings you by?" She asked.

Peyton didn't bother to pretend to be happy at the sight of the older woman as she returned to Brooke's side. "Yeah, we're just on our way to school."

Victoria Davis, having had enough of the rain, walked straight for Brooke causing her daughter to open the door further and let her into the apartment.

Peyton growled as they turned to wait for whatever it was Brooke's mother felt the need to come all the way over here in this weather for.

Brooke folded her arms across her chest and glared at her mom.

Victoria turned and smiled at her child. "I've already spoken to your Principle about this and it's all been taken care of." She said before sliding her gaze to the blonde irritation stood beside her. "But don't let me hold you up Peyton dear." She said sweetly.

Peyton rolled her eyes completely unimpressed and far from intimidated. She gave a quick smile at Victoria and reached for Brooke's hand. "Right, well if it's all the same we have to get going, so you'll just have to come back another time." She said turning for the door again and praying they'd make it out as she muttered under her breath, "Never works well for me how 'bout you?"

Brooke tried to hide her smirk as she caught what Peyton said.

Victoria sighed and glanced at her watch. "That's all very well and good but we have fights that leave in an hour so I need you to go pack whatever it is that you call essential Brooke and then we can get out of this God forsaken town once and for all." She said giving another disgusted look around the apartment her daughter chose to live in. It was just as bad as she'd remembered it being.

Brooke felt like her jaw literally just hit the floor.

Peyton on the other hand had no problem find her voice. "What the fuck!"

Victoria smirked at her daughter's friend. "You still here? I was speaking to my daughter who is none of your concern, after all haven't you already done enough to her?" She said watching with satisfaction as her underlying meaning hit home to the blonde.

"You are the reason my child was assaulted in the first place aren't you dear? He was after all, there for you wasn't he?"

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AN/

Location: Glasgow, Scotland.

Current mood: "13 episodes for the final season! Are you fucking kidding me!" (AKA not great.)

I have been catching up with the show and last season was pretty damn good which surprised me. I'm planning on watching the last season even if they do bring back Luc-ASSFACE and as it's pretty much all been filmed by now and I haven't heard of Peyton turning up I'm not happy, bad enough she missed the last few seasons :( Alas, I would have gone back if I was Hilarie but it would have been AWESOME!

So, you guys like this chapter? :D

I'll try updating quicker, no promises.

Thanks to everyone that reads this, that puts it on alert and all that other jazz. My special thank you for those that leave a thought behind in a review. Never essential but its lovely to hear what you guys think of the story so far.

Next time!

And have a safe Halloween!