Taking a deep breath, Audrey threw the ball at the hoop just as she heard a car pull up. She walked over and grabbed the basketball before it could go far, and turned to look, barely resisting the urge to chuck the basketball at the car when she saw it belonged to her mother. She knew she wasn't mad at Peyton, not this time. She also knew she needed to get the anger she did hold for her mother let out, if she ever wanted to move past this. She didn't want to hate her mom forever. She walked over and sat on the bench next to the older blonde.
Watching Audrey with a wary eye, Peyton was somewhat relieved when she came over and sat next to her. She hadn't been quite sure what her daughter had been planning to do. She knew that Audrey was still mad at her, and could easily have taken out her anger at Kristine out on her, but for whatever reason, the young woman had decided to hear her mother out, and Peyton decided she wasn't going to waste the opportunity. "I know you're mad at Kristine, but I need you to let me speak first. Everything I did, I did because I thought it was the best thing for you," she spoke with a steady voice.
Before Peyton could go on, Audrey scoffed. She couldn't help herself. "The best thing for me? Growing up without a father was the best thing for me? Growing up with a mother who lied to me all the time, who had to work constantly to support me because I didn't have the support of a father, the love of a father? That was what was best for me? Please, enlighten me to how this is true, because I really don't follow you, Mom. I want to believe you, but it's hard when all I've heard from you on this subject has been lies so far," she stopped her tirade and took another deep breath, trying to calm herself.
Sighing, Peyton knew it was going to be hard to explain to her daughter how she had come to the conclusion she had all those years ago. She figured now would be as good a time as any for the whole truth to come out. "I was a scared teenager. Back in our junior year, before Lucas dated Brooke, I turned him down. He wanted everything, and I was scared. We ended up cheating on Brooke, but we didn't get together when they broke up. I was trying to mend my friendship. I didn't want to focus on him then. He moved away. Then one day he came back. We finally gave into all the passion we had felt since he joined the basketball team," she trailed off as she remembered that one night.
Jostling herself from the memory before her daughter could make a snide remark about not wanting to know her parents sexual history, she tried to pick back up where she had been before her train of thought had derailed. She couldn't tell if Audrey was believing her or not. "I expected him to come back more often, for us to finally have the relationship that he had wanted when he had first joined the team. He didn't. He disappeared again. I never heard from him. Not a call, not an email, not a single word. I found out about you, and I was scared. Scared he had found someone else. Scared that I had been nothing more than a one night stand for him, that he didn't want me, that I had been nothing but a conquest," she paused again, looking at her daughter, giving her time to digest.
For another moment, she couldn't speak, as she lost herself in the fears she had faced as a 17 year old pregnant woman. She had felt abandoned. She didn't know if anyone else really understood it, except maybe Brooke. "I already felt abandoned. Add in the hormones, and my fears, and I didn't want to give him a chance to leave me again. As far as I was concerned, a child changed nothing. He wanted nothing to do with me, I wouldn't force him to have anything to do with me. I took you far away from here, and I raised you the best I could. I tried my hardest to give you anything your heart could ever desire and still save up money for your college fund. I don't know if you can understand, but I made every decision with you in mind, your best interests at heart," she finished.
Letting all of that sink into her mind, Audrey tried to consider what she would do in her mom's situation. She honestly didn't know, and she couldn't say she wouldn't do the same thing, so she just took a minute to think about it all. "I can't say that I would do the same thing if I were in your shoes," she started, shaking her head slightly, but continuing before Peyton could have a chance to speak up. "I can't say that I wouldn't either, though, so I guess I have to forgive you and move on. I told you I still love you, Mom, and I meant that. I just, I guess I just need to be on my own, now. It's time for me to spread my wings. Possibly earlier than I'm meant to, but this is just what I feel is right for me," she shrugged, meeting the older blonde's gaze.
Not really wanting to believe her baby had grown up so fast, but at the same time, knowing that her daughter was no longer a baby anymore, Peyton just smiled sadly. She wrapped one arm around the young blonde's shoulders and pulled her into a hug. "I knew you wouldn't be my baby girl forever, but it's hard letting go this early. I will, though, for you. It's time for me to let you decide what is the best for you now. Can I just ask you one favor, though, before I bring up the next subject?" she asked, and Audrey nodded hesitantly. "Can you and I have dinner once a week? Just you and me, separately from the dinner with everyone," she asked.
Thinking this through, she was glad for her mother's approval and support. She also knew that she missed her mother. As much as all the lies hurt, she still needed her. She smiled and nodded. "Yeah, we can do that," she hugged her mother back tightly before pulling away. She knew what was coming next. She had opened the door to Peyton being a mom again, and now she was going to have to listen to some motherly advice on what to do with the Kristine situation. "She's stealing my life, Mom, and I guess it just sucks seeing everything I've worked the past two years for going to this stuck up New York bitch who just waltzed in out of nowhere," she spat out.
Taking a moment to digest this, Peyton tried to think of what to say. In this moment, Audrey seemed more like Brooke than herself. The Queen Bee who would do anything to keep her position. She wanted her daughter happy, but she didn't want her to have to tear down others to be happy. "Audrey, dear, your real friends will stand by you no matter what. Maybe you should try to get to know Kristine. Maybe she's not as bad as you think. You know, your dad and uncle Nathan had a horrible relationship when he first joined the basketball team, but it got better when they actually got to know each other," she finally said.
For a minute, Audrey didn't say anything. She wanted to lash out at her mom, but she knew Peyton was only being the voice of reason, so she really considered what the older blonde woman said. She thought maybe she could discuss with her father what had happened while he was at odds with his brother, and what had happened to fix it. "I'll consider it, Mom," she finally said, giving her mom one last hug, as Peyton stood to leave. She, on the other hand, still had a basketball hoop to face down, and some more thoughts to sort out.
OTH ~ OTH ~ OTH ~ OTH ~ OTH ~ OTH ~ OTH ~ OTH ~ OTH ~ OTH ~ OTH ~ OTH ~ OTH ~ OTH
In the backyard of the house she was slowly beginning to think of as home, Kristine also faced down a hoop. She moved around the court, making shots and trying not to think so much about the basketball, thinking instead about the fact that she had probably just taken a gigantic step backwards with Audrey, ruining all the progress they had made lately. She didn't really want to take back what happened though. She definitely wanted to take the next step in her relationship with Sean. She was just going to have to deal with whatever repercussions that she was forced to endure from Audrey.
Standing on his back porch, Nathan watched his daughter. She moved with grace across the court, making her shots with ease. It was truly beautiful to watch. He was glad that both of his teenaged children had inherited his basketball skills, even if Kristine wasn't on the team, because it gave him something to bond with them over. He slowly walked over and grabbed the ball as she made yet another shot. He dribbled it for a moment and then made a shot of his own before looking at her. "Listen, I know the two of you don't get along, but Audrey seems a bit like I was at that age. Just give her some time, and maybe she'll come around. She's a good kid, I know that, she's just going through a lot right now, and she's most likely just choosing you to lash out at about it," he finally said.
Nodding slowly, Kristine smiled at her dad, glad that she finally knew who he was. She was really glad to be living here and getting to know this other part of her family. She thought about what he said, and realized he may be right. "Thank you," she said, walking over and giving him a hug. She pulled back and looked up at her father. "I know it was a major surprise that my mom dropped on you, but thanks for being here for me, and getting to know me. You guys have been really great," she ducked down, letting her dark hair fall in front of her face.
Surprised by her words, Nathan realized he never considered the alternative. Brooke told him he had a daughter, and he would never think of turning her away. He hadn't realized that she would have been worried that he would have. "Kristine, my father had two children, three months apart. He only claimed me. He turned my brother and his mother away, and didn't even acknowledge that he was Lucas' father until we were in high school. That is not something I would ever do. As soon as I found out you were mine, I wanted to know you and be a part of your life. That's never gonna change. I don't ever want to be my father," he said, but before she could respond, Haley called them in for dinner.
Halfway through dinner, Peyton reentered the room. Eyes immediately flew to her, but she just shrugged and took her seat, dishing up some food. She didn't put much on her plate because she wasn't that hungry. She glanced at Lucas, but didn't meet his gaze long before she had to look away. She really wanted him to take her into his arms and tell her that everything would be okay, but she didn't know if things would ever be okay for them again, and she knew that was her fault. She sent Haley and Karen a significant look, and then focused on her food while conversations picked back up around her.
When everyone else was once again occupied with conversation, Logan tapped Peyton's arm from the seat next to her. She looked over at him. He didn't even need to ask; The question was evident in his eyes. "I think I got through to her, at least where she and I are concerned. I got her to agree to have dinner with me once a week," she heaved a sigh and continued in a lower voice, "I just don't know how she's going to act about this Kristine and Sean thing. I tried to get through to her about that, too, but I don't think I made much impact," she finished, looking at her daughters best friend. She knew the feelings he had for her, and she knew Audrey felt the same way, but she wouldn't admit it.
Everyone was just finishing up dinner when Audrey entered the house. She hesitated at the entrance to the dining room. She glanced around at her family, the people she knew and loved, and felt bad for the words they had heard her say earlier. She was sad to see they still looked like a family even without her, and for a minute she felt like Kristine really had taken her place, but then she saw people notice her, and faces light up, and she realized she would only be lost if she allowed herself to be. She turned her gaze onto Kristine. "Can I talk to you outside?" she asked after letting out a deep breath.
Shocked, Kristine just nodded, and got up. Someone cracked a joke about going to check on them in five minutes to make sure they weren't killing each other, and Kristine was worried that was a possibility. She still went outside to the backyard, though, with the blonde following her. She waited for Audrey to break the silence, which she did pretty quickly. "I know I've been mean to you, and I want to start by saying I'm sorry," she said, shocking the both of them.
For a minute, neither girl said anything. Kristine was shocked into silence, and Audrey was trying to figure out the best way to word things. "I've been a bitch, I really have, and you don't deserve it. I guess I just," she paused, "got jealous," she finally said, taking a deep breath. "I felt like I was losing my family to you, like you'd take my place because you have blood ties to them, and I shouldn't have felt that way. This family is kind of amazing. It doesn't accept one new person and shut out one of their members, it can expand to include new people, while still having just as much love for everyone else," she paused again, knowing she had gotten off topic.
Trying to process all this, Kristine still said nothing, so Audrey took a deep breath again and went on. "I will try to accept that you're being welcomed into this family. I guess we can try to be friends, too. I'm not sure how that will work out, but at the very least, we can stop being enemies," she paused once more, trying to figure out how to breach the next subject, finally deciding to just spit out the words. "Are you really into Sean or was that just to try to piss me off?" she asked, trying to not sound bitchy, but really wondering about the answer to the question.
Without hesitation, Kristine answered. "I really like him. I know this may be hard for you to hear, but I'm falling for him. I haven't been trying to piss you off. And I wouldn't use him like that anyway. He's a good guy, even if he has some jackass tendancies. But I want you to answer a question of mine now. Are you really into my brother, or are you just messing with him to get to me?" she had to ask, the same way Audrey had to ask her about Sean. She was worried about her brother getting hurt, and she didn't want Audrey to hurt him.
Wanting to get annoyed at the question, Audrey restrained herself, because she knew it was legit. Looking at the brunette, she decided to be honest. "I may have started flirting with him because I knew it would get to you, but I've truly started to like him. You may be worried about him because he's your brother, and thats sweet of you to do, but I am gonna do my best to not hurt him. He's sweet and kind and caring and he's too good to be messed around with," she said. "Before we have a Lifetime movie moment, let's go inside," she added jokingly. She wasn't ready for any deep bonding moments with Kristine yet.
When the pair entered the house, Haley had already put away the stuff from dinner, but she had packed some away for Audrey to take home. Karen had taken her little family home, and Nathan was putting the little kids to bed. James had disappeared to his room, and Lucas and Peyton had both left, knowing that the young blonde wouldn't be up for anymore bonding that night. She walked over to Justin and Logan, and Kristine walked over to Sean, but the paif of teenaged girls shared a knowing smile.
A/N: I know it's been a long time, and I don't blame anyone who has given up on this fic. But I recently seem to have found my muse again. I've written a few chapters and I think my writing streak is back on. I'm not making promises, because I've always had ideas for this. Just spent way too much time moping over a bad breakup- not that y'all wanna hear about that. Anyway, if anyone is still reading, some reviews would be nice, and I'll probably post the next chapter in a few days.
Disclaimer: I don't own it.