Hey guys, sorry for the long wait for an update. I've been writing like crazy and didn't want to stop to proofread. I think I'm going to post the first chapter of one of my other stories. I just can't decide which one.

Thanks to everyone who has taken the time to read/review.

Chapter Nineteen

November 22, 2007

Thanksgiving Day

Haley was in the kitchen preparing Thanksgiving dinner when she heard a voice from the living room yell "Oh come on Lucas, Farve is obviously a better player than…." Haley rolled her eyes and tried to block out the talking coming from the other room. Not that she minded the noise, even if it was about sports she was used to a full house and ever since her family had left she had been pretty lonely.

She was peeling potatoes for dinner when she noticed that one of the potatoes had rolled off the counter and so she bent over to get it. When she stood back up she felt two arms encircle her waist. Recognizing the touch she leaned slightly back and smiled up at him.

Nathan leaned down and brushed the side of her face with his lips. Breathing in deeply, he enjoyed her fresh scent.

Haley put down her peeler and leaned fully against him, "I'm glad you came."

Nathan vehemently agreed, "I am too, Hales. Thanks for the invite."

Flashback to Earlier in the Week

"It's been two months Nathan, what's the problem? Why is it so hard to get one kid off the team?" Dan said coldly from behind his desk.

Nathan kept his face unreadable and didn't answer.

"Hey moron, I'm talking to you," Dan taunted.

Nathan rolled his eyes and feeling fed up with the whole situation decided that he should just tell his Dad the truth, "If I really wanted to get him off the team he would be off."

"What do you mean if you really wanted to get him off?" Dan bit out.

Nathan smirked, "I like Lucas Dad. He's a good brother." Nathan had to hold in his laughter, he should have told Dan the truth a long time ago, he was so mad… his face was an interesting shade of purple. Now that he was actually doing it, he didn't know why he had been so hesitant to do it before.

"We talked about this, we agreed tha-," Dan started.

"WE didn't agree to shit, like usual you gave me orders and just assumed that I would do it. I never wanted to make my brother quit the team," Nathan deliberately called Lucas his brother again, knowing that Dan hated any reference to 'that kid' as part of his family.

"No, you said okay. You said you had a plan," Dan reminded him, his face already a deep red color.

Nathan shrugged, "I might have said something like that to get you off my back… so I lied. Big fucking deal. But I lied to you, Dad, not my brother like you assumed."

"He's not your brother! Stop calling that kid you brother," Dan exploded.

Nathan smirked, "Truth hurts?"

"Shut up. If you never planned on getting Lucas off the team why are you playing that girl?" Dan question suspiciously.

Nathan shifted, uncomfortable. "I'm not playing her, we are really dating. I just told you that to get you off my back."

Dan noticed the change in Nathan's attitude and pounced on it, "Does she know that? I wonder how that kid and your little girlfriend would feel if they knew that you had told me that you were only dating her so the kid would quit the team."

Nathan refused to let Dan know that he was scared. He let out a short laugh, "Don't be stupid Dad, do you really think they would believe you? Yeah sure they would… because you've been so honest in the past."

"I see you are following in my footsteps, you are willing to lie to them to get out of a mess you created. I should have named you Dan Jr.," Dan idly told him.

Nathan winced, "I'm not you, I would never become you. You destroy everything you touch."

"And what do you think you are going to do to your little girlfriend Nate? You think that you aren't going to hurt her? Think again," Dan smirked at him.

Nathan stood up and placed his hands on the table, "She is the best thing that ever happened to me, you do anything to ruin it and I'll cut you out. You'll be nothing to me"

Dan laughed, "You don't have the money to do that. Don't make false threats, when you don't follow through you just look weaker," Dan sat up in his chair and leaned forward. "We'll talk about that later, I had another reason for calling you in here."

"No we won't, it's done. Accept it," Nathan glared at his dad.

Dan continued talking as if Nathan hadn't spoken. "I talked to your grandfather today and he and your grandmother will be joining us for Thanksgiving. I expect you to be on your best behavior. Keith has declined the invitation so that only leaves you, do not mention that that kid is on the team. I had hoped that the kid would be gone by now, but since you are such a fuck up it won't happen in time."

Nathan rolled his eyes, "It'll never happen, just let it go. And no, I won't hold my tongue around grandpa, if he wants to know anything I'll tell him."

Dan's face changed turned a darker shade of purple, "Then you aren't coming down to dinner. Your mother and I and I will say that you are sick and you'll stay in your room. That'd probably be better so you can't fuck up anything else."

Nathan refused to answer and stormed out of the house. He hated this, he wanted to break free of his father and he thought that he was doing a good job of it… but a part of him still cared what he thought, the part that desperately wanted his approval.

Nathan drove around for a while, and ended up at Haley's house. That shouldn't surprise him; ever since they had got together he had leaned on her and depended on her more and more.

Nathan got out of the car and knocked on the door. Haley answered, holding a cell phone in her hand. She beamed at him, "Nathan! I didn't expect you tonight." She reached over and pulled him into a hug. Shaking her head she moved back quickly. "Hold on a second Nate." Moving the phone back to her ear she spoke into the phone, "Jake? Yeah… sorry about that Nathan just came over… Uh huh… okay, well I'll just talk to you later… bye Jake."

Nathan wanted to be pissed at Jake, but didn't have the energy to muster it.

Haley hung up the phone and took a good look at Nathan's face, "What's the matter?" She pulled him into the living room and sat next to him on the couch.

Nathan found himself telling Haley about the fight with his Dan, everything he could without revealing the things he did before. The things he did or said that he wasn't proud of.

"Wait so because you refuse to ignore your brother you are being sent to your room like a child?" Haley asked incredulously.

Nathan nodded glumly, when he had told Dan the truth he had been in such a good mood. He really thought that Dan had lost his hold over him… but then Dan had been so mad at him and disappointed. That was when Nathan realized the hold Dan had over him was more powerful than he had assumed before. "It's hard Haley, I when I stood up to him I felt so good; like I was finally free of him. Then… he tells me I'm not allowed to have dinner with them and then I have the urge to do what he wants, so I can please him. And it's not like I really I want to go to dinner with them; it's the fact that I'm being banished from the table.

"No, you don't have to put up with that Nathan." Haley swung her legs so they covered Nathan's and moved closer to wrap her arms around him, "You can come have Thanksgiving dinner with us."

Nathan looked up at her, "You sure?"

Haley nodded, "It'll be fun. Lucas and Keith are going to be here. I invited Peyton… and Brooke too, of course. But neither of them could tell me if they could make it."

"I would love to, thank you." Nathan leaned down to kiss her.

End Flashback

"What's on your mind," Haley noticed the frown on Nathan's face.

Nathan shrugged, "Just thinking about the Scott family dinner I'm missing."

"I'm sorry your dad's an ass."

Nathan let out a bitter laugh, "I'm sorry he's an ass too." Shaking his head, he didn't need to make this day about him. He smiled down at Haley, "But this is a day of thanks, and what I'm most thankful for is you."

Haley flushed with pleasure, but she lightly shoved Nathan to the other room, "Cheesy lines again Nathan? I'll send one right back at you, I'm really thankful for you too; now get back to the game before I forget that I'm supposed to cook."

Nathan smirked as he reentered the living room, he loved know that he could fluster Haley with a few simple words or touches.

Lucas looked at Nathan when he sat down next to him, "What's up with you man?"

Nathan aimed his smirk at Lucas, "Just kissing your best friend."

Lucas made a 'eww' face but didn't say anything. Hey, he told Haley he would try.

Nathan had only been back for a couple minutes with the doorbell rang. Taking one last look at the TV Lucas got up and went to the door.

Opening the door he looked down and smiled at the girl there, "Hey… what took you so long?"

She shrugged and averted her eyes, "Woke up late." Leaning forward she placed a kiss on his mouth and hugged him.

Lucas leaned into the hug, his arms holding tightly. But no matter how tight he held on he couldn't help it, he still wondered what if….

Flashback to November 10

Peyton placed the heel of her hand between her eyes, trying to hold her tears in. "I'm just going to go. Tell Brooke I will call her when I get a chance."

Lucas tried again, "Peyton can we just-."

"Luke! Just forget about it okay?" Peyton hissed out, not wanting Brooke to hear what they were saying.

Lucas shook his head, "I don't want you to-."

"You're with Brooke. It doesn't matter what you want for me anymore," Peyton winced at the bitterness of her tone and words. "You should have stopped Lucas, why did you let me say all those things? Did you enjoy seeing me grovel?"

Brooke walked back into the room and stared at them.

"What's going on?" Finally catching onto the tension in the room, Brooke stared at both of them. "Someone tell me!"

Lucas stood between the two girls. The middle of their twisted triangle…

Peyton shook her head, "I'm just going to go."

Brooke stopped her, "Wait… look… the tension in here is so think I can almost choke on it. Please someone tell me what is going on."

Peyton opened her mouth, then with a slight shake of her head looked to Lucas and raised an eyebrow. Brooke followed her gaze and said, "well?"

Lucas looked between the two girls, "It was nothing Brooke, Peyton just wanted to spend some time with you and so do I. Just a little tiff on who gets you."

Brooke looked relieved, "Is that is? Well there's enough Brooke to go around. Lucas? Do you mind, I haven't seen Peyton in a while and I want to spend some time with her. We can do-."

"No Brooke," Peyton interrupted. "You stay here with Lucas. You guys obviously had plans. I'm going to go and I'll give you a call later."

Brooke's brow knitted in confusion, "Are you sure? Because you said that the argument was abo-."

"Brooke," Peyton interrupted. "I was being selfish. Don't worry about it."

"Ho's over Bros, ," Brooke told her using one of her favorite phrases.

Peyton smiled a little, "I'm sure. I'll see you guys later."

Peyton directed one last look at Lucas before she left the room.

Brooke walked over to Lucas and wrapped her arms around his midsection, "I'm so glad Peyton is back."

Lucas stared over her shoulder at the place where Peyton had just been standing, pouring her heart out to him, "Mmmm, yeah. Me too."

Brooke pulled back, "Are you okay boyfriend? You look a little out of it."

Lucas shook his head, he had made his choice. He shouldn't, couldn't, have second thoughts now.

"Just thinking about things, Pretty Girl, things I can no longer think about."Lucas said with finality.

Brooke looked confused, "Uh, okay. What the hell does that mean?"

Lucas forced a smile, "It doesn't matter.

Brooke shrugged, and her face changed. Taking on a more playful expression, "I know what you need to get your mind off this." Pushing Lucas so he fell back on the bed, Brooke climbed on after him and straddled his waist.

Lucas leaned up and kissed her, pushing all thoughts of Peyton out of his head.

End Flashback

Brooke was talking about the sales that she expected tomorrow and how she wasn't going to sleep tonight, because she didn't want to miss a minute of 'Black Friday'.

Lucas tried to pay attention but he couldn't help but wonder where Peyton was and how she was doing. They hadn't spoken a word since that day in his room and he was worried about her. Haley told him that Peyton was invited to dinner, but hadn't given her an answer on whether or not she was coming.

"Lucas!" Brooke snapped her fingers in front of his face.

Lucas snapped out of it, "What was that baby?"

"Where's Haley?" Brooke asked rolling her eyes.

"In the kitchen," Lucas said, pointing to that direction.

Brooke patted his cheek, "I've been here before sweetie. I know where the kitchen it. I'm going to go help her."

Lucas laughed, "Help? Brooke Penelope Davis is going to cook?"

Brooke pouted, "Okay so I'm going to watch her, but at least she'll have company."

Lucas kissed her forehead and went back to the couch while Brooke walked through the living room on her way to the kitchen.

"Hey Tutor girl!" Brooke walked over to a stool at the counter and sat down.

Haley smiled at her over her shoulder, "Hi Tigger, what's up?"

Brooke grinned, "I love Thanksgiving. Okay, I love the sales after Thanksgiving, but it's the same thing. I found this sale for material that I'm totally going to take advantage of."

Haley stirred a pot and curiously asked, "Material? What for?"

Brooke blushed a little and admitted, "I love to design and sew clothes."

Haley set down her spoon and gave Brooke her full attention, "Really? Have I seen you wearing anything you made?"

Feeling out of sorts and nervous, Brooke tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, "Actually I made what I'm wearing right now."

Haley studied the dress Brooke was wearing. It was a short, red halter dress with a low back. She tapped a finger to her chin thoughtfully, "You made the designs and sewed the dresses yourself?"

Brooke nodded, "Yep, I've been designing for a while." Brooke ran a nervous hand down the line of her dress. "What do you think?"

"I think that you are really talented, and you could do this professionally." Haley turned back to the stove, her mind racing with possibilities. "If you didn't tell me I never would have guess that wasn't from one of those expensive stores at the mall you like so much."

Brooke just smiled, and tried to hide how much Haley said meant to her; especially after her conversation with her mother the previous afternoon.

Flashback to yesterday afternoon; Davis Household

"Brooke!"

Hearing her mom call her, Brooke got off her bed and walked downstairs to where her mom was waiting at the foot of the stairs.

Victoria Davis was perfectly coiffed with not even a single hair out of place. Her single strand of pearls matched the casual business suit she had chosen to wear.

"Yes mother?" Brooke was careful not to say anything to make her mom mad. She had been extra touchy since Brooke started her school break. Victoria wasn't big on family time and didn't like it when Brooke spent too much time home.

"What are you wearing?"Victoria sharply asked.

Brooke looked down in confusion, she was wearing boy shorts and a camisole … she was home, damn it. Who dressed up when they were home? "Mom…"

"What if I had some with me? Do you want my friends or your father's business associates to see you like this? Why do you take such pleasure in embarrassing our family's name?" Victoria spoke over Brooke.

"I didn't mean anything, you called me and I came down the stairs…" Brooke trailed off when her mother continued to stare frostily at her.

Victoria' voice was ice cold when she told her daughter "You look like a little tramp. Stop dressing so provocatively. Some ladies at the club told me what you wore to the last dance. You are an embarrassment to the Davis name."

Brooke ran a hand through her hair; she was frustrated but she tried again, "Mom! That dress was perfectly decent-."

Victoria interrupted her, "Don't bother to make excuses. Now, you were supposed to go out with us to dinner tomorrow night but since you can't be trusted to act properly you may consider yourself uninvited."

"Mom, oh come on-."

"Brooke Penelope Davis! You will learn how to control yourself, and do no raise your voice to me." Victoria turned her cold eyes away her only daughter.

"Mom I designed that dress myself, I'm very proud of it."

Victoria let out a derisive laugh, "Do we not give you enough money? Now you are going out like a rag person and making your own clothes. Lovely." Victoria tapped a finger to her leg, "I'm going to raise the limit on your credit cards, go buy yourself some decent clothes."Victoria started to walk away before stopping and glancing back at her, "Don't go shopping with that Sawyer girl, her taste is deplorable."

Brooke stood at the top of the stairs staring at the place her mother had just been.

Flashback over

Brooke started to paid attention to what Haley was saying, "-she never got back to me. Have you talked to Peyton about it?"

"I totally spaced, what was that?" Brooke sheepishly said.

"I invited Peyton to dinner tonight and she never got back to me. Have you talked to Peyton about?" Haley repeated.

Brooke shook her head, "Actually, I haven't. She's been so busy since she's been back I've barely spoken two words to her. I'm worried about her, something is off." Thinking about the lack of communication between her and her best friend lately had Brooke squirming off the chair. "Look I got to go do something. Hold dinner for me? I shouldn't be too long."

"Sure," Haley had to yell after Brooke since she was already out the kitchen door.

Brooke ran past the guys in the living room. "Be right back!"

Nathan laughed, "What the hell was that."

Lucas smiled and shrugged, "It's Brooke, you can assume whatever it is it won't be boring."

Brooke slowly walked up the steps to Peyton's room. When she had reached the Sawyer house the front door had been unlocked and Peyton never answered the doorbell so she didn't bother to knock.

When she got to Peyton's door she peeked in and saw that Peyton was sitting on her bed with a sketch pad in her lap.

Knocking lightly on the door, Brooke smiled and Peyton. "Hey P. Sawyer, what are you doing all by yourself on Thanksgiving?"

Peyton looked at her best friend, noted the worry in her eyes, and forced a smile, "I didn't really feel like doing anything and you know that I'm used to being on my own."

"Why don't you come to Tutor Girl's house? We're all going to eat dinner there." Brooke sat next to Peyton and the bed and picked up the camera, and started taking pictures of the two of them..

"Wow you and Haley got pretty close," Peyton commented.

Not catching the slight jealously that was coming from Peyton, Brooke nodded, "Who knew right? She turned out be pretty cool. Plus it doesn't hurt that she's my boyfriend's best friend."

Peyton shook her head, "About dinner, I don't really feel up for it so can you tell Haley that I said thanks for the invite."

Brooke set down the camera. "Look Peyton, I'm just going to ask you. Are you mad at me or something?"

"What? No of course not Brooke," Peyton denied.

Brooke stood up and started pacing, "Then what's going on? Okay first you take off for a couple weeks and now that your back you've barely said two words to me. I'm your best friend P. Sawyer, you can tell me anything. Just please, let me in. I miss you."

"Brooke… it's nothing okay? I'm not mad at you."

Brooke threw her hands in the air, frustrated. "Then what's going on? Come on, you're here but not really!"

Peyton sighed and looked up, taking her best friends determined face she wondered if she should just tell her the truth. Right Peyton, tell her about Lucas and ruin an eight year friendship.

Flashback 8 years, 2 months ago.

"You're pretty."

An eight year old Peyton Sawyer looked behind her and saw an impeccably dressed girl with dark hair. "Thank you."

The girl rolled her eyes, "Aren't you going to say it back?"

Peyton grinned, "Maybe I would have if I didn't think you were expecting it."

The little girl smiled and giggled, "Okay I did want a compliment back, but I'm new here and I don't have any friends." She frowned a little before smiling at her again. "I really do like your hair; it's so pretty and curly."

Peyton stuck a hand in her hair, "I hate it; it's so hard to brush. My mom still has to take care of it for me."

Sitting down next to Peyton, the little girl told her, "I wish my mom would still do my hair. She's too busy so she has the maid do it."

Peyton's eyes got bigger, "You have a maid?"

She nodded, "Of course we do, we have several." The girl looked down. "That's a pretty picture, you're a good drawer."

"Artist," Peyton corrected.

Her new friend rolled her eyes, "Ooookay, you're a good artist." Studying the blond girl she seemed to have come to a decision. "I'm Brooke, and I know we are going to be best friends forever."

Peyton studied her in return, "Peyton… okay, we can be best friends."

Brooke smiled and clapped her hands together, "Yes! We are going to have so much fun together."

"Are you always so cheery?" Peyton laughed.

Flashback Over

Peyton stood up and walked over to Brooke with remorse for the way she had been ignoring her friend rushing through her veins, "Hey , really it's nothing. I'm sorry I haven't been around, but I've just been missing my dad." Peyton felt bad for the lie, but Brooke would feel worse if she knew the truth.

"So you'll come?"

Peyton tried to look enthusiastic, "I'll come."

"Yes!" Brooke grinned at her, "It's not the same without you, and to tell you the truth I wouldn't have felt right leaving you here by yourself. So if you had stayed I would have too."

Peyton's face took on a more natural expression, one reflection the love she had for her best friend. "Come on, let's go."

Disclaimer: I own nothing; not OTH or its characters.

I want to address some messages I've gotten about the Brucas/Leyton in this story. I'm sorry if you aren't happy with the way I'm writing them but I really can't change the story that I have planned just to get you to keep reading. Everything plays into the overall storyline and it has to stay that way.

I can't just put Leyton together right now and even though Lucas is with Brooke I can't have him turn off his feeling for Peyton too quickly. Sorry. I will say that they girl he ends up with later in the story he will be totally in love with and will not be confused about who he wants. There will be no lingering feelings or thoughts of 'what if?' .

Jess2303: Yeah, you should really think about that story. I alway enjoy it when Lucas catches Naley, he's the brother type so it can't be fun for him and makes me smile. You see where the Leyton/Brucas storyline is going ;). Good guesses. Thanks for the review!

RedRoom323: Thanks! I'm glad you enjoyed the timing and that they was more with Brooke, Lucas, and Peyton. Even thought it's a Naley story I'm trying to make sure you get everyone's story

Colviper8: Yay for the Laley friendship! Thanks for the review.

jasper41164: Sorry to hear you won't be reading anymore. Thanks for sticking with it as long as you did.

Drama4zashley-Naley: Thanks! Brooke is really fun to write about. She's perky.

naley19: Thanks for the review :)

Loving Naley: Thanks! the Leyton/Brucas storyline is far from over.