Part 74

"If we get lost and eaten by bears or wolves, know that I don't forgive you." Peyton muttered as she adjusted the backpack she was carrying up the deserted hiking path she and Brooke had been walking on for over two hours now.

Brooke rolled her eyes. "You wanted to hike to the top, this is the easiest route." So said the owners of the holiday cabins they were staying in.

Peyton scowled at Brooke's back as her friend continued walking a few meters in front of her. But then her face cleared and instead she watched Brooke with a touch of concern. "How are you holding up?" She asked gently. It hadn't been that long since Brooke was in intensive care.

"If you need a break Blondie, just say so." Brooke replied with the hint of a smirk on her face as she turned her head to look at Peyton.

With a huff Peyton slung the pack off her back and found and nearby tree trunk to rest against. "Thought you'd never take the hint." She muttered as she dug into her bag to pull out two bottles of water.

Brooke shook her head, but smiled as she joined Peyton on the ground. "If we're sat on poison ivy, know that I don't forgive you." She told Peyton as she accepted the bottle and took a drink.

Laughing, Peyton quickly eyed the foliage around them. "We're safe." She declared.

"It's a nice day." Brooke commented after a while.

"Is it? All I see are trees, tress, and oh yeah, more trees." Peyton replied.

Looking around Brooke had to agree on that one, but at least the overhead canopy of leaves and branches had kept the midday heat from beating down on them. That wasn't to say it was cooler, but they were protected from direct sunlight during most of their journey so far.

They'd be out in the open landscape soon and with little protection.

"Are we stopping for food?" Brooke asked.

Peyton's eyebrow lifted. "Are you hungry?"

"Not really."

"Then no."

"Fine. I was only asking."

"Uh huh."

Brooke shifted around and soon her head was resting in Peyton's lap.

With a chuckle Peyton just shook her head and eyed Brooke as she made herself comfortable. She'd noticed the limping, not as pronounced as the first few days Brooke had been out of the hospital, but the injuries were still there after all.

So she said nothing as Brooke's eyes closed and her breathing evened out. The path was definitely a longer hike than either of them expected but with it only just after one in the afternoon, and no plans for their stay at the cabin, they could take their time.

Luckily she'd packed a book, and with her bag within easy reach, Peyton was more than happy to let Brooke rest.

xxxxxx

Haley was at the breakfast bar looking at stencils for the baby's room when Deb rushed into the kitchen with bags of groceries in her hand and a look of excitement on her face.

"You will never guess who I just saw walking down Main Street!" Deb told Haley as she lifted the bags onto the counter with some effort. "Go on guess!"

Haley waved a hand about as she went back to deciding what pattern she wanted Nathan to start painting along the boarder of the nursery. "I don't know… Dan?" He was one of the few people that hadn't been seen in Tree Hill for the past little while.

Along with Peyton and Brooke, but those two would call or drop by if they were back in town.

Wouldn't they?

"Nope." Deb replied as she placed a carton of fruit juice into the fridge. "Guess again!"

Haley frowned and studied her mother-in-law. "It wasn't Brooke or Peyton was it?"

"Oh! Close, but no."

Taking a deep breath, Haley put the stencil's in her hand on the counter top. "Debbie, I am a heavily pregnant woman, with a very short fuse-"

"Larry Sawyer!"

Haley closed her mouth with a clash of her teeth. In the back of her mind she remembered Peyton mentioning her dad was coming back, not that Peyton was very forthcoming, or that anyone wanted to push her for the details, but hearing his name hit Haley unexpectedly.

Deb's eyes lit up with excitement at the bit of gossip. "I know right? Who would have expected Peyton's father to be in town just when Peyton has disappeared." She said as she went back to placing food items into various cupboards.

Nathan would no doubt have to re-arrange all of that later because Haley was sure milk when in the fridge and the frozen lasagne did not belong in the biscuit and snacks cupboard.

"Are you sure it was him?" Haley wondered briefly if there was a connection to Peyton taking off with Brooke and Larry's arrival back in town.

"Who?" Nathan asked as he walked in and took a seat beside Haley, having swiped an apple from the fruit bowl on his way through the kitchen. "Or what, are we talking about?"

"Peyton's dad is in town." Haley offered quietly, still unsure if she could rely on Deb for actual facts. The woman was a bit unreliable. And a raging alcoholic with a gun in her possession.

"No shit?" Nathan replied as he looked from Haley to his mom.

"No shit." Deb agreed with a grin. "I was at the crosswalk and he was across the street, and as I watched he walked into Karen's Café." She explained.

"Are you sure it was him?" Nathan asked sceptically.

"Of course I am, I've seen him around town for years Nathan." She informed her son with a roll of her eyes. "But I could hardly go talk to him, the first thing he'd ask was if I'd seen Peyton, and I wasn't putting myself into that minefield."

Haley stole Nathan's apple and took a bite to prevent herself telling her mother-in-law off. She then handed the apple back to her husband and waddled from the room with the nursery stencils in hand.

Deb watched her leave then shook her head at her son. "Hormones." She whispered quietly. Then she handed her son an energy drink she had purchased specifically for him. "Just wait until the baby is here."

Nathan looked at the drink and then back at his mom who had gone back to emptying out her shopping. With a shake of his head he opened it and took a mouthful. It was just as gross as it looked by the lime green bottle, but given his life over the last few weeks, what was throwing Larry Sawyer into the mix.

Taking his drink, Nathan left his mom to go in search of Haley.

It wouldn't even surprise him if Larry was in town, or if he somehow made his way over here looking for Peyton.

Of course, they wouldn't have any more information to give him than Karen or Lucas did.

Peyton wasn't in town as far as anyone knew.

And the only person Nathan was positive that knew where the blonde was right now wasn't in town either.

Brooke Davis.

And Nathan, like his mom, wasn't touching on that minefield with Larry Sawyer either.

xxxxx

"Nice nap?" Peyton asked as Brooke blinked her eyes open and put her hand over them to give shade against the sunlight streaming through breaks in the trees above.

Brooke couldn't help but yawn as she sat up against Peyton. She hadn't slept much the night before, it was one of the reasons she'd convinced Peyton into going on this walk. Thinking that after a long day out in the middle of nature they'd both be exhausted by dinner time and finally sleep soundly for a night.

"You look like you needed that." Peyton went on as she brushed some hair out of Brooke's eyes.

Rubbing at her eyes, Brooke agreed. "Maybe I did."

Peyton rubbed her girlfriend's back and reached for her bag. "Hungry?" They'd had a good breakfast but that was hours ago, and they still had a fairly steep hike up to the top of the trail.

"And thirsty." Brooke replied with a smile. She rested against the tree trunk as Peyton pulled out their lunch and two bottles of water. It was only a chicken and salad sandwich but that along with the energy bars and bits of fruit they had with them, they'd be fine until they returned to the cabin later in the day.

Some time later, Brooke noticed the heat of the day wasn't too bad, and the noise of birds in the trees were somewhat appealing. You didn't really get that so much in Tree Hill, not unless you headed out of town.

"What's up Davis?" Peyton asked, as she watch Brooke peering about. "You think there's a bear about?" She asked with a touch of amusement.

"Do bears come out during the day?" Brooke replied.

Peyton shrugged. There had been warning signs at the car lot into the park. "It's probably why the rangers frown on people eating anywhere on these trails except designated picnic areas."

Brooke snorted as she stood and wiped her clothes down from any possible bug interloper that had taken advantage during her short nap. "Well I'm gonna blame you on that one."

"I'm packing everything away. So no one will ever know." Peyton insisted as she tucked all their rubbish into the zip lock bag she'd brought along for exactly this reason.

"I'll know."

Peyton grinned as she shouldered the backpack. "But you'll never tell, right?"

Brooke shrugged. "What's it worth?"

Peyton gasped and put her hands to her heart. "My undying love not enough anymore?"

Brooke stared at Peyton for a long moment, but Peyton just smiled back at her. It made her blush and she looked down for a second then lifted to meet Peyton's gaze. Those eyes that watched her were completely open and honest. Something they had always been to each other before people like Lucas Scott got in the way.

Brooke still wasn't sure she deserved Peyton Sawyer in her life.

She wasn't going to cry but she definitely felt her throat get choked up.

Rolling her eyes at the silence, Peyton held her hand out for Brooke. "Let's go before that bear comes hunting."

Brooke bit her lip but put her hand into Peyton's and they started back on their journey to the top of the hike. She felt like she was floating as they bumped shoulders as they walked but they both had a firm hold of each other's hand.

"It is enough."

The words were spoken so softly Peyton only just heard them. She squeezed Brooke's hand tighter in reply and they continued walking.

It didn't matter if they made it all the way to the top of the trail today or took the next split in the path and headed back.

All that mattered was that they would do it together.

Even the stress of the hourly newscasts and bulletins over Ian Bank's arrest, and the knowledge that they'd have journalists and reports looking for them once they got back to civilisation, they had this moment in time together. For however long Brooke needed it to last for.

Peyton didn't care if they went back to graduate high school with their classmates or not.

Missing the birth of Nathan and Haley's kid would be tough, Peyton knew Brooke wanted to be there for that event.

But if that was how long Brooke needed to take as a timeout in order to recharge and be ready within herself to face all of that madness again, then Peyton was sure they'd both find a way to make it up to the new parents.

Today was going better than yesterday, and so it was like walking this hill, small steps after small steps, shoulder to shoulder and hand in hand.

They'd walk the path together.

And maybe tomorrow would be better than today, or maybe they'd step backwards or simply stand still.

And if they got really lucky, when Peyton checked her phone later tonight, maybe they'd get the news that Ian Banks was dead, and they could really celebrate tonight.

"What are you grinning at?" Brooke asked when she caught a smirk on Peyton's face.

Payton shook her head and lifted Brooke's hand to her mouth for a kiss. "Maybe I'm just glad we both survived your nap without being eaten by a bear."

Brooke snort then muttered, "A bear wouldn't eat you Blondie, you're way too skinny."

"You'd eat me though, wouldn't you?" Peyton asked with a gleam in her eyes.

Shocked at her girlfriend's comment, Brooke could only look at her.

Peyton cleared her throat and tried not to laugh. "You know if we get lost out here and I die first. You'd eat me to survive, right?" She explained.

Brooke didn't buy it for a second. "You are going to regret this later."

"I offered to let you eat me."

Brooke turned away, but didn't let go of Peyton's hand. "I'm not listening. And you're not making this any better."

"Don't you want to eat me?"

"Peyton!"

"I'll take that as a no." So the dirty weekend away was still on hold, but Peyton knew it was only a matter of time. "I want you to know that this hurt my feelings, because I'd happily eat you, any time you wanted me to."

And with that Peyton dropped Brooke's hand and took off running.

"Peyton Sawyer!"

xxxxx

A/N Thanks for reading, I know it's been a while but well, yeah.

Hope you guys are good, everyone try and stay safe, 2020 sucked but 2021 doesn't look much better, but I hope everyone tries to hang in there.