but I'd rather wake up beside you and breathe that ol' familiar smell
I never thought you could leave me, I figured I was the one
but I understand your sadness so I guess I should just hold my tongue
"You've reached Lucas, leave a message," droned the tone of her boyfriend's voicemail.
"Call me! Now!"
Peyton threw her phone down in a flurry, afterward crossing her arms against her chest. She'd barely gotten any sleep last night, worrying through the darkness of all the tangled webs in her life: Her and Lucas, her and Brooke, her, Brooke and Lucas. Her head was throbbing from exhausting every possible option - she loved her best friend. But she was in love with Lucas. She didn't want any of them, herself included, to get hurt. She relentlessly went over different ways to approach Brooke - and different scenarios of how Brooke would handle it: maybe she'd scream and yell, maybe she'd never talk to Peyton again, or maybe she'd hug her and say "good luck." Even she got a laugh out of the last one.
Deciding that she should probably call Haley, she scrolled to the musician's number and dialed. Confused when she heard the ring tone coming from downstairs, she ran down the steps to see Haley holding her phone innocently while standing in the foyer. "Well that's good timing, girlie."
"Haley, I'm so glad you're here," said the exhausted Peyton.
Haley recognized the panic in Peyton's voice, and walked over to her. "Hey, what's going on?"
"I've been trying to call Lucas all night, and he won't pick up his phone, Brooke's home, and I don't know what to do…"
"Shit, Brooke's home? Okay, well, let's get Lucas over here so we can figure out what to do."
Peyton shook her tresses wildly before leading Haley into the kitchen, so as not to disturb the brunette in question. "No! Brooke is here, in my house - sleeping upstairs. He can't come here! This is why I've been trying to get a hold of him all night."
"Why didn't you just call me?" Questioned Haley.
Peyton stopped for a moment and shrugged. "Okay, honestly, I just thought of that option now," they both laughed. "And I didn't want to call the house and wake Karen. Brooke will probably be up soon, what are we going to do?"
Just as Haley was beginning to panic, Lucas walked through the kitchen door, sweeping Peyton into his arms. "Hey baby." Leaning down to kiss her he was stopped by her small hand in between their lips.
"Why didn't you text me last night?"
He frowned at her hostile town, but didn't loosen his hold on her. "My phone died halfway home and as soon as I walked in the door I passed out; you tire a man out."
His attempt at humor had her rolling her eyes. "Okay, well good job, Lucas. I've been texting and calling you all night long!"
Lucas recoiled at her hostility. "Why didn't you just call my house?"
"Karen's jet lagged," Haley butted in.
"Okay, so what's the big deal? Are you okay?"
Haley and Peyton, both with hands on hips, turned and looked at each other before back to Lucas.
"Brooke's home."
Lucas moved his hand to rub his neck and sighed. Well, this wasn't good. He'd known it was going to happen - was even trying to plan out what to say to her when she was back, but he thought he had another week. This wasn't going to be pretty.
"Okay, well let's come up with a game plan." He pulled Peyton back into his arms, dropping numerous kisses to her brow, breaking a momentary smile onto her face. "We've got time, it's not like she's here right?"
Peyton pulled back and looked into his eyes, a telling look displayed.
He sighed once again. "So she's here, right?"
Both girls nodded affirmatively. Well, lovely.
"Alright… so what's the game plan?"
Oddly enough it was neither Lucas or Peyton that asked the question, but Haley, curious and worrying for her two best friend's sakes.
The couple looked at each other, but no words came. "I wasn't ready for her to come home yet."
Lucas scoffed and looked at his girlfriend. "Neither was I. And hey, I wasn't the one up all night contemplating this, didn't you come up with something?"
The blonde turned, sending her boyfriend a death glare, and smacked his chest. "Nice attitude. No, I didn't. I was too worried. About my boyfriend. Who wouldn't answer his frantic girlfriend's calls."
"I told you it was dead," Lucas groaned.
Haley rolled her eyes. "Okay guys, we can't turn on each other. "Since when do you guys get sassy with each other? Calm down, it's a high stress situation."
"Thanks for the "we," Hales." Lucas reached over and squeezed her hand.
She smiled wide "Any time. Now hustle, she'll be down here soon an- good morning Brooke!"
Slowly, Lucas and Peyton both turned towards the door to, indeed, see a sleepy Brooke Davis making her way into the kitchen.
Brooke Davis wasn't a person that relished waking up early. She was a woman that loved her sleep and never woke before 10 a.m on a non school day. Today, with the voices of grumbling teenagers below, she was woken suddenly and not happily.
Even more unhappy now that her ex boyfriend was standing before her. And his best friend - someone she'd never gotten along with.
"Morning guys. Party I wasn't invited to?"
"Welcome home, Brooke," Haley commented kindly, plastering a fake smile.
"Thanks Haley." She turned to Lucas and stared. "Broody."
Lucas nodded and shifted his weight uncomfortably. "It's good to have you back Brooke."
Brooke sent him a tentative smile but turned to her best friend. "When did Casa de Sawyer become the new meeting grounds?"
Peyton shrugged and laughed. "A lot's changed this summer," she murmured.
Sending her an inquisitive glance, Lucas then turned to the cupboards. "You girls want some breakfast?"
"This is going to be a nice, comfortable meal," Haley mumbled, receiving and elbow from Peyton.
"So Haley, Peyton, fill me in on what's been going on this summer," the brunette requested as she filled glasses of orange juice.
"Pancakes?" Lucas interrupted.
After receiving a positive response from each girl, Lucas turned to the stove and took a deep breath. Current girlfriend and ex-girlfriend in the same room. Ex-girlfriend not knowing that her best friend is the current girlfriend - even worse. His breathing was coming in at a rapid tempo, and he struggled to gain control. Once he had, he reached for the griddle and went about making breakfast.
"Peyton?" A loud voice boomed from the hallway.
Immediately, Peyton's face lit up and she jumped back from the table. "Dad!"
Lucas smiled as he listened to his girlfriend and her father reunite. His smile dropped when he realized that Larry being home meant confrontation about Ellie, and telling Larry about their new relationship. Tree Hill's drama quota was seemingly high.
Walking in with his arm around his daughter's shoulder, he was surprised to see her friends sitting around the kitchen. "Brooke, Lucas - nice to see you both so early in the morning. Why am I surprised, Brooke you're always here."
Brooke laughed and hugged the man she'd seen as a father figure for most of her life. "Welcome home, Papa Sawyer."
"And Haley, I'm glad to see you took Peyton up on the offer, it'll be nice for her to have you around."
As Brooke tilted her head in confusion, Haley smiled. "Thanks Mr. Sawyer. It means a lot to me that you're letting me live in your home."
"Anytime. And Rake boy… how are you? Making us breakfast, well looks like I showed up at the right time," the father joked, setting down his bag and seated himself at the table.
"I'm glad you're home, Dad. It'll be nice to have you around," despite her nervousness about the pending conversation, having her father around was going to be really nice.
She then looked to Brooke who was sulking over her juice, and Haley who was shifting uncomfortably. Lucas was avoiding any eye contact of any kind, and Larry was oblivious.
Family breakfast was going well already.
--
Hearing the clicking of his bedroom door opening, Lucas looked up from his laptop, smiling when he saw Peyton walking through the door. Once she had slammed it and turned around in a huff, Lucas set the computer aside and opened his arms without needing to be asked.
Peyton had told him she was going to confront Larry today. Her demeanor could only mean one thing.
Not a word spoken, Peyton slid onto the bed and into the only place she'd been able to seek comfort these days. Moments slipped by without either of them speaking; he knew she'd talk when it was time, and he'd learned from experience not to push too soon. Soon, he felt hot tears soaking the sleeve of his shirt, and he tipped her chin back with his finger.
Her eyes were red and swollen displaying a dullness behind them he'd never seen. "Oh Peyton," he murmured before kissing each eyelid and hugging her tighter.
"My mom isn't my mother," she choked out; and then the floodgates open. Large, loud sobs wracked her body.
Lucas scooted back so he was lying on his bed, holding her tightly in his arms. Moments like these broke his heart, but he was glad she wasn't doing this alone. He loved being the man that she came to and that set her mind at peace… he hated that she had to go through anything like this at all. Sometimes it physically pained him when he thought of all his girl had been through in her short 17 years.
"God baby, I am so sorry. I'm so sorry," he continuously whispered in her ear, rubbing her back in soothing circles.
"Why, Lucas? All of these things I thought made me like my mom aren't real at all. She's not even my mother. This drug addict is my mother and I don't want to be anything like her."
"Hey, look at me." When she still wouldn't look at him, he gently placed his hands on both sides of her head and forced her to look at him. "Look at me," his gentle voice demanded. "She is your mom in every way that counts. Ellie may have given birth to you, but Anna is the woman that raised you and loved you and cared for you. Nothing or no one can ever take that away from you."
Peyton whimpered, cowering deeper into his embrace. He had good intentions and his words warmed her soul, but the nagging ache would never leave her heart. "You are the best person I've ever known, Lucas Scott."
He sighed into her hair, but internally struggled with the thought. He was far from it - stringing Brooke along, being with her while his feelings for Peyton always burned beneath the surface. It wasn't fair to either girl. Yet, somehow it had all gotten him here, to Peyton, and if this was the end result, he couldn't - wouldn't - go back and change any of it. Inevitably, this was going to hurt Brooke and ruin a lifetime's worth of friendship. He wished it wasn't one or the other.
"I love you," was his simple reply.
--
Living in Peyton's home, Haley felt more settled than she had in months. She'd spent so much time there during the summer, she knew her way around and felt practically like it was a second home anyways, living there was really the best offer she'd gotten in a long time.
Being alone in this big house, however, had it's downfalls. She wondered how Peyton could take the long stretches of alone time when her father was gone - the silence was deafening, and left one with nothing but their own thoughts.
She trailed from room to room, just getting a feel for the house, taking in the place that would be her home for the next year of high school.
Thinking that made her heart sink a little. If this was her home - and she loved Peyton dearly - that would mean there wouldn't be a home for her and Nathan. Tears burned the back of her throat, fighting her hardest to keep them at bay - because really, these past few months had seen more of Haley James crying than her entire life - she walked into the living room where her divorce papers sat, almost mockingly, crisp and untouched on the coffee table. She figured Peyton would be gone most of the night with Lucas after she'd overheard the screaming and tears from her fight with Larry, and Larry had resigned himself to his room for the night. She wasn't quite sure what had happened to Brooke; since Lucas had left the Sawyer house that morning, the brunette had been in a funk, and left shortly after Peyton had, without a word. Haley took this as the perfect chance to hunker down with her demons and work things out - meaning… sign the papers.
Just as she was beginning to flip through the pages, the sounding of the doorbell shook her from her angst induced haze. Haley jumped from the couch, hoping to reach the door before Larry awoke. Stopping to brush away her tears, she opened the door, keeping her head lowered.
"Haley," the voice that breathed out her name was one she'd recognize anywhere, instantly. Her head snapped up and despite the look of hesitance on his face, her eyes lit up.
"Nathan?"
Just as she was about to question him on why he was here, a furious Brooke Davis blew through the door, a flurry of anger and hurt. Almost to the stairs, she flipped around to glare at Haley.
"So I suppose you knew, then?"
Haley fumbled with her fingers, looking between Nathan and Brooke. Deciding drawing out the situation was the least productive idea, she spoke quietly. "I'm sorry, Brooke. I just…"
"Just what, Haley? Didn't think you should tell me that while I was miserable in California, Lucas and Peyton had been shacking up?"
Nathan made a noise and spoke, "Lucas and Peyton?!"
Haley put her heads in her hand and groaned. "Okay, Brooke, it wasn't my place to tell you, and really… since when are we even friends?"
Without speaking another word, Brooke shook her head and ran up the stairs, moments later slamming the door to Peyton's room.
Turning back to her husband - ex-husband, estranged husband? - in an attempt to make peace, she spoke up. "Welcome home?"
I know that we're takin' chances, you told me life was a risk
but I just have one last question...
will it be my heart or will it be his?
I'm comin' home
Things that seem left out will be explained! Let me know what you think!