Hey guys! This chapter is from Amanda (Ali-chan). I think that she did a great job so please read and review!
Chapter 3
Late May 2008
"Nate, can you please take Lynn to the park or something," Haley James was at the end of her rope. She'd spent most of the last two hours cleaning their house while her two-year-old daughter followed two steps behind, undoing all of her work.
"I've got to go the airport," Nathan responded, using everything he had to keep his voice calm. He didn't want to have this fight with Haley again - the fight about why Haley wasn't using the nanny they paid a set wage each week to take care of their daughter when Haley needed a break.
"Take her with you, she'd love that," Haley suggested as her head disappeared under the kitchen sink, so she could replace the brush she'd used to scrub the invisible stains off of the grout on their tile floor.
"I am not taking her with me to the airport Haley," Nathan responded with a light, if forced, laugh, "I'm picking up Brooke, from Italy. She's going to have more bags then my car can carry let alone fit Lynn's car seat in. Where's Komala anyway? I thought she was supposed to be here, helping you, like we pay her to do."
"I gave her the next couple of days off." Haley reappeared and placed her hands on the counter, bracing herself for whatever Nathan had to say in regards to that.
"Why?" Nathan questioned, it was inevitable they were going to have this fight, again. "She agreed that she would be available to come in Monday through Friday, and occasional weekends. She wanted a month off in the July to go to India to visit her family. We pay her for the rest of the year Haley!"
"I wasn't the one who wanted to hire her, Nathan." Haley snapped smacking the brush onto the counter top.
"I hired her because you needed the break. You don't need to do it all yourself Haley, between school and Lynn you hardly have time for anything else and now you're pregnant again on top of it all..."
"You're just upset that I don't give you 100 of my attention, well newsflash Nathan - this is the real world. There's more to life then just you and me."
Nathan shook his head sadly, he thought they'd moved past this portion of their marriage. He thought that he'd made it clear to her that when it came down to it there would never be anything more important to him then Haley and Lynn. They'd had the blow-out and then they'd made up and there wasn't a doubt in Nathan's mind that that had been the night the new baby had been conceived. And there had been peace over the house, Haley had backed off her superwoman act and let Komala do her job.
And then Dan had come for a visit. Dan visited one weekend a month and for the first time in his life Nathan had felt like things between he and his father were at a good place. Dan seemed determined to make amends for treating his sons horribly by spoiling his only grandchild and Nathan had not missed the look of pride when he'd been the first to find out that they were expecting another. He was seemingly showing an interest in their lives without trying to interfere and after two years Nathan had stopped second guessing that, in fact so had everyone else.
Everyone that was except for Haley. But then again no one else had been around when Dan had nonchalantly mentioned that he was shocked that Haley, of all people, wouldn't be able to take care of her own child. That sentence alone had ushered back in Haley's most recent attempt at being superwoman and that, paired with her genius idea to get Brooke and Lucas back together, had led to Haley being even more distracted than normal. But she couldn't bring herself to tell Nathan about the encounter, couldn't stand the thought of screwing up the relationship the father and son finally had. Besides, she'd dismissed, people didn't normally get along with their in-laws anyway so why did it matter if Dan hated her.?
"Haley there's not more to life then me and you," Nathan responded, "but you seem to keep forgetting that. Come on kid," he called to Lynn who was in the other room amusing herself with the baby doll Brooke had given her namesake for her first birthday, Lynn's favorite thing in the entire world. The little girl was all Haley, with reddish brown curls and the same body and facial structure, but her eyes were all Nathan's piercing blue windows to her soul.
"Daddy," Lynn moves to her feet and toddles toward her father's open arms. "Go?"
"We're gonna go to the airport and pick up Aunt Brooke," he couldn't help the look that he sent Haley's way, a look that read there, happy?
"Yay!" Lynn clapped her small hands together as she cheered, "Pey-pey come too?" She held her doll up in her father's line of vision, the curly haired blonde doll had been named after Aunt Peyton but the name was just too hard to master and had shortened to Pey-pey.
"Sure, Pey-pey can come too," Nathan nodded, "we'll just tell Aunt Brooke had she has to leave some of her bags behind to make room for her favorite niece." Nathan grabbed his car keys off of the hook in the kitchen before asking, "You finally told Brooke that Luke's going to be here, right? And Luke that Brooke'll be here?"
Haley's guilty expression said it all, as she took an interest in the marbled design in the counter top.
"Haley, you promised you'd give Brooke a heads up that she would be spending the first week of summer vacation with her ex-boyfriend." Nathan's blue eyes flashed, that was yet another argument that had settled over the Scott house, Haley's insistence that she could get her best friends back together if she left out the fact that they'd be sharing a bathroom for two weeks.
"No," Haley shook her head briefly, "I told you that you were right that I shouldn't meddle in their lives. But those two are still in love with each other and they're going to figure that out this week."
Nathan rolled his eyes. "Like Jake and Peyton are supposed to?"
"I had no hand in that." Haley shook her head. "We invited Peyton and she said couldn't afford to come, so I didn't bother to tell her that Jake was coming."
"And now that she is coming?" Nathan questioned with a smirk, he'd counted on having couple quiet weeks now that his finals were over, but then Brooke had announced that she'd be coming back from her six month internship in Italy and wanted to come straight out to see her favorite niece, of and Nathan and Haley of course. That had been the beginning of Haley's matchmaking plans.
"Well, it'll be a nice welcome back surprise for her." Haley clapped her hands together in excitement, an action that Nathan's not sure if she'd copied from their daughter or their daughter has copied from her. "Jake's so excited to see her, it's the first I've heard him this excited about anything since he lost Jenny."
"When's he getting here?" Nathan could feel his annoyance at his wife melt away, he couldn't blame her for wanting their friends to be happy because ultimately he wanted the same thing for them.
"He called while you were in the shower, he's about an hour away so he'll beat you guys here. And then Lucas flies in sometimes this afternoon but he's just going to hang out at the airport so that he can pick Peyton up and he's gonna rent a car. They'll be here just in time for dinner." Haley paused and crossed the gap between them, "I know you wanted a some quiet time so thanks for going along with this."
"You're crazy and sometimes I don't know why you do the things you do, but I love you."
Haley kissed Nathan but the action was cut short by two small hands on either of their cheeks, "Lynny kiss!"
Haley and Nathan both kissed one of Lynn's cheeks. "I love you both. Brooklynn Elizabeth, you be good for Daddy."
Lynn gave Haley a wide smile. "Daddy, treat."
"No treats, Nathan please don't hop her up on sugar."
"But I thought that was the dad's job?" Nathan offered Haley innocent doe eyes as he tickled Lynn's belly, causing a round of giggles from his daughter.
"Nathan," Haley groaned, there were more times then she could count that the two of them had disappeared for the afternoon and Nathan had brought her back bouncing off the walls only to have her collapse into tears and temper tantrums a short time later. "I need her to take a nap when you guys get back from picking Brooke up. If she doesn't nap, dinner tonight is going to be hell."
"You mean you don't think it's going to be awkward seeing as how you're re-setting our best friends up with each other and they don't even know it?"
"They'll be thankful. Well Jeyton will be, Brucas might be a little awkward at first but I'm telling you by the end of the week both of those couples are going to have kissed and made up and they'll have me to thank. What?" Haley demanded off of the look she received from Nathan.
"Hello Brooke, what have you done with my wife?"
"What? Nathan, I'm serious."
"So am I, I think you and Brooke need to stop talking on the phone so much, that couldn't have sounded anymore like Brooke Davis if you'd been trying."
"Will you just go," Haley playfully shoved Nathan to the door, "of you're going to have a very pissed off Brooke Davis waiting at the airport. And the last thing she said to me before she got on that plan was that better not keep her waiting or she'll kick you a-s-s."
Brooke scanned the baggage terminal in an attempt find Nathan or Haley's familiar face, but like ten minutes before she doesn't recognize a single face in the crowd. Her eyes instead landed on a haggard looking family that she recognized from the plane she'd taken from Chicago, they had a little one Lynn's age and neither one of them seemed much older then Brooke. She caught the mother's eyes and offered a small smile, but Brooke was pretty sure that the woman, dressed in a pair of worn jeans and a t-shirt, couldn't see past her white Dior slacks and Mark Jacobs top. That after all was the story of Brooke's life and few people could see past that.
And the people who could see past the clothes and been countries away for the last six months. She'd known what she was getting into when she taken the chance to intern for an up and coming fashion designer. She'd known that she was leaving behind her friends but she and Lucas had just been so complicated that Brooke had to just get away. She hadn't been able to handle fighting with Lucas anymore, so she'd left leaving behind a brief message on his voice mail that said nothing more than, "Luke, it's Brooke. I can't keep fighting with you. Remember that internship I told you about? Probably not. Anyway, by the time you get this I'll be on a plane to Italy." There had been no good-bye, no sorry. She'd just simply hung up and flew away.
"Brooke!" The call pulled Brooke out of the memory induced stupor and once again her green eyes faze took in the crowded airport but this time her eyes fell on Nathan. With a squeal that startled the elderly Italian couple that had sat across from her all the way from Italy Brooke launched herself at Nathan, her arms wrapped tightly around him.
"I missed you! I missed you!" Brooke pulled away and immediately scooped Lynn out of Nathan's arms. "And look at you, my God, you're so big. You probably don't remember because you were just a baby when I last saw you..."
"Aunt Brooke!" Lynn grinned. "Pey-pey!"
"That's right." Nathan nodded along with his daughter and then kindly filled in the missing words for Brooke, who had yet to learn toddlerish, "Aunt Brooke gave you Pey-pey."
"Aw," Brooke gave the little girl another hug, "you are so cute. That's right, I'm your Auntie Brooke and I'm gonna spoil you rotten while I'm here because I have a half a year of your life to make up for missing. And if you dad would get my bags I could get you the new dolly I got you from Italy. It's wearing a dress that I designed just for you."
"Dolly! Daddy go!"
"Ooh, Lynn you are officially my new favorite little person. Nathan you heard your daughter. Go." With a wave of her hand Brooke dismissed Nathan in the direction of the baggage claim, she knew he wouldn't be able to recognize the luggage set that Haley had bought for Brooke for Christmas the year before. "Nathan!" Brooke used the hand that wasn't balancing Lynn to cup around her mouth so he could hear her. "They're the Louis Vitton bags you and Tutor-wife got me for Christmas last year. There's four of them."
"Brooke?" The voice Brooke would have recognized anywhere, but in the middle of the San Francisco International Airport was not the place that Brooke ever thought she'd hear it.
"Luke?" Brooke turned slowly on her heels, she could literally feel the blood drain out of her face and she clasped on her more tightly to Lynn in an effort to keep from dropping the girl in her shock.
"Brooke could you have packed anymore." Nathan's voice trailed as his gaze landed on Lucas. "Shit."
"Shit!" Lynn exclaimed with enthusiasm.
"Shit," Nathan responded. "Haley's going to kill me."
"Is that right, Nate?" Brooke snapped. "Is that because you swore in front of her daughter or because you ruined her surprise?"
"What the hell is going on?" Lucas looked back and forth between his ex-girlfriend and brother. "I had no idea Brooke was coming for the week."
"Luke, what are you doing here?" Nathan questioned in every attempt not to have to be the one to explain to them why they would be both staying with them for the week. "Haley said your flight was getting in later so you'd pick up Peyton and rent a car."
"I didn't want Haley to have to make a second trip so I lied about when my flight got in," Lucas explained quickly. "But that sure as hell doesn't explain what's going on."
"I know exactly what's going on." Brooke glared. "Haley doesn't understand the words back off and stay out of my life. If I hadn't just spent the last sixteen and a half hours on a plane I would get right back on that plane. And I'm going directly to your house and giving your wife a piece of my mind."
"She's pregnant," Nathan blurted out. "She's pregnant and she's stressed about all of this. Don't freak out on her too much." He knew Haley was going to kill him, she'd wanted to be the one to tell everyone that she was pregnant again, and that on top of ruining her surprise guest theory on top of swearing in front of Lynn. Yup, she was going to kill him.
"She's pregnant again!" Brooke's attention was briefly dragged away from Luke and put right back onto the topic of a new Scott baby. "I can't believe she didn't tell me, no, wait I can officially believe that she didn't tell me. That's so awesome, congratulations. It doesn't make up for the fact that she totally lied to me about who would be coming this week but I can let it slide." Now that the topic was brought up again though Brooke felt sick, she'd run away scared to Italy and she thought she'd had it all figured out. Thought she'd gotten over this crazy love of Lucas. How could six months of getting over someone disappear in just a few moments? How could he look just as damn hot as ever?
"Right," Lucas nodded, Brooke couldn't read the expression that's written on his face. "We'll just cope with this. It was inevitable that we were going to run into each other. We're adults now, right?"
"Right," Brooke swallowed hard in every attempt to pull herself together as well as Lucas seemed to have himself. "We are all adults here. But I can't believe that you guys are having another baby that's just so great."
"So that was probably what Dan was hinting at when he came up last weekend. Congratulations man. Hey Squirt." Lucas ruffled Lynn's coppery curls. "You're getting big."
"Unc Luke!" Lynn practically launched herself out of Brooke's arms and into Lucas's as she planed a big kiss on his cheek. "Throw!" Lucas immediately obeyed his nieces words and tossed her high into the air and caught her when she came back down in a heap of giggles. "'gain!"
"Not again Squirt, there's too many people around."
"'gain," with her words the girl burst into tears and it was easy to spot the beginning over an almost two-year-old temper tantrum.
"We should get back to the house." Nathan informed as Lucas gladly handed Lynn off to him. "She needs lunch and a nap. But we'll see you in time for dinner right? With Peyton?"
"You are in big trouble Tutor-Wife," Brooke declared after walking through the doorway of the Scott's house.
"Tigger!" Haley had showered and changed since Nathan had gone and as soon as Brooke stepped foot in the house she bounded toward Brooke and through her arms a her, "I can't believe you are here!"
"I can't believe you failed to mention when we talked on the phone less then twenty-four hours ago that Lucas would be staying here too," Brooke teased as she held Haley close, in Italy she'd gone back to being Brooke the Bitch and it was nice to be around people who knew she was more then that.
"You told her?" Haley demanded of Nathan when he arrived with half of Brooke's bags.
"No, we ran into him..." Haley trailed and turned her attention back to Brooke. "How mad at me are you?"
"I hear there's another former Raven's cheerleader in the house." Jake still pretty much looked the same as he had when they'd last seen him, but there was an unmistakably sadness that surrounded him that could only be attributed to his loss of Jenny.
"Jake," Brooke immediately rushed to hug him, "I had no idea you would be here too, but that's not a surprise, you look great."
"You look as gorgeous as ever," Jake stated as he took her hands and a step back to give her the once over.
"What can I say? Italy treated me well," Brooke pulled him in for another tight hug, "I'm really glad to see you Jake. I'm glad you're here, really, it's great to see you. Tutor-wife, why don't you show me where my room is?"
"Brooke, you know where your room is, the first time you came to visit us you claimed the biggest guest room as your own, remember?"
"I forget where it is," Brooke grabbed Haley's hand and dragged her toward the guest bedroom that Haley had been talking about. Once she had pushed the door shut quickly behind her she demands,"Are you insane? Does P. Sawyer know that Jake's here?"
"No, it's a surprise."
"We'll you're just full of surprises aren't you Mrs. James-Scott? She's got a boyfriend that every time I talk to her she seems really happy about."
"I know, Mark, but he's not Jake. She's told me that herself, they've never gotten a real chance Brooke, is it wrong that I want to give them that?"
"No, and you're right she and Jake deserve a chance, especially after they both lost Jenny. But Matchmaker Haley, you should know right here and now that Lucas and I are out of second chances, we just can't make it work."
"Brooke..."
"No, no Brooke, promise me."
"Brooke."
"Haley, listen, you guys are my family. You, P. Sawyer, that husband of yours and even Jake, and Lucas is part of your family and we're going to be invited to the same stuff. But if you spend this entire week trying to put us back together it's just gonna backfire and I won't be coming to anything that Lucas is at. It's just too hard."
Tears shimmered in Haley's eyes when she nodded. "I promise."
"Good, now I've got to give you credit you pulled off this entire stunt almost perfectly, you couldn't have foreseen the Lucas thing. I'm so proud."
"Oh Tigger, I missed you, no more taking off without warning to Italy for six month internships, alright?"
"Haley, can I help you with something?" Brooke wandered into the kitchen, she'd been playing in the living room with Lynn and Jake when it sounded like ten timers were going off in the kitchen.
"Nope, I've got it all under control," Haley responded as she pulled a dish of rice out of the oven. "But it would be great if Peyton and Lucas got here soon. Dinner is practically ready and Lynn doesn't do well with having to wait for dinner."
"They're here!" Nathan appeared in from the patio where he'd been grilling the shrimp and chicken kabobs that Haley had pulled together earlier in the morning.
"Great, I can't wait to see Peyton's face when she finds out that Jake is here." Brooke gave Haley's hand an encouraging squeeze at her words, they both wanted the best for their friends but Brooke had the feeling that Haley would be disappointed in the outcome. Nathan and Haley had always been able to work their way through everything that life sent their way and Brooke couldn't help but think that Haley just didn't understand that there were just some relationships that just had problems too big to work through.
"What is Lucas doing?" Haley questioned when she reached the window next to the front door and peered out around the curtains just in time to see Lucas bolt from the car, even before Peyton could get out, and leap over low shrubs to get to the door. "He looks like an id...oh s-h-i-t."
"Haley did you just spell shit? Lynn's in the other room," Brooke stood on her tiptoes to see over Haley's head. "Oh shit. Who's that?"
"Either Luke has decided he's gay and brought home his boyfriend to surprise us or that's..."
"Mark," Haley and Brooke sighed in unison, both could see Haley's best laid plans wash down the drain.
"Nathan, I need you to go tell Jake."
"No way Haley, this was your genius plan you warn him."
"Ok, fine, then you, one of Peyton's ex-boyfriends, can explain to Peyton and her current boyfriend why her other ex-boyfriend and probable love of her life is in our living room." Haley offered the alternative in a sugary sweet tone and even made the motion toward the living room.
"Thanks, honey, this was a really fantastic idea. What a fantastic way to start summer vacation."
"Nathan I don't need your smartass comments just go talk to Jake dammit." Haley felt sick to her stomach and for the first time in weeks she couldn't blame it on the morning sickness. "Peyton and Jake are going to kill me."
"Haley take a deep breath, Peyton and Jake are much more mature then Luke and I are, if we can deal with being in the same place at the same time they definitely can."
"Yeah, but you didn't bring a French god with you." Haley and Brooke both took a moment to appraise the tall and lean man who helped Peyton get her bags out of the trunk.
"He is gorgeous," Brooke mused before pulling open the door for a startled Lucas, "thanks for the warning but we see him. P. Sawyer!"
"P. Calendrier," Peyton grinned from ear as she grabbed Mark's hand with her right and held out her left to show off the ring situated on her the appropriate finger with a diamond that reflected the light from the sunset.
"Oh my god, oh my god!" Brooke and Haley both closed the gap in a fashion similar to Lucas' with the running and the leaping over the low lying shrubbery to reach Peyton, Jake completely out of their minds for the moment. "You got married, I thought Tutor-wife was the only one who got married with out telling anyone!"
"Hey!" Haley protested before hugging Peyton. "Congratulations and welcome to the world of marriage."
"I'm Brooke, you must be Mark, it's such a surprise you coming along..."
"Speaking of which, I'm sorry to interrupt, but Peyton we've got to talk to you."
"We? Whoa there Tutor-wife, I am not a part of that we equation am I? Because I am totally the innocent party here."
"Fine, Peyton I..."
"Uncle Luke!" Lynn pulled everyone's attention to her but only until Jake followed her out and then all eyes were on him.
"Jake," Peyton dropped Mark's hand, "I didn't..."
"It was a surprise visit, I didn't realize you would be here or be bringing...I'm Jake." He'd lied so easily and while she felt the guilt settle in, Haley felt relief wash over her as they shook hands. Jake, ever the hero would step in and make sure that there was no drama.
"Mark Calendrier." His English was nearly smothered by his French accent when he spoke. "I've heard a lot about you."
"It's good to meet you."
"We, um," Peyton cleared her throat in an attempt to find the right words to tell everyone what had happened in her life. She'd had it all planned out from the moment she and Mark had signed the marriage certificate. She was going to tell them that she and Mark were in love and they were going to surprise them with the engagement but then one of them had suggested they surprise them with the marriage. She'd been so confident in everything, confident that she'd laid all of her feelings for Jake to rest for once and for all. "We got married a couple days ago, and we thought we'd surprise you."
"Whoo surprise."
"Whoo, surprise!" Nathan and Lynn were apparently the only who found humor in the situation as Lynn copied her father's previous words of sarcasm.
Peyton sat in a lounge chair by Nathan and Haley's pool, a sketch pad propped up on her knees and she knew that if Brooke saw it would only end in a lecture how she was going to have a rectangular farmers tan on her lap. But drawing had always been her way of coping with things, with the exception of the painful months where she couldn't put a pencil to paper without causing herself major frustration. Only now could she smile at that memory because it had been what brought her and Mark together, he'd been able to help her move past her heartache surrounding Jake and Jenny. He'd been so patient with her. He'd wanted her as more then just a friend for months, but he'd never asked her out again after that first time, and it hadn't been until she was able to sketch again that Peyton realized that Jake was a memory and she had Mark standing in front of her.
Peyton allowed herself to flip to the front of the sketchbook and pull out the first sketch she'd done after so long, the sketch that brought the realization of her feelings for Mark. It was of him, naturally, he'd come over to hang out with Peyton for the afternoon but had been struck with an idea for a song and after accepting a sheet of paper from her untouched notepads had gotten himself lost in the lyrics in his head. It had been pure instinct that had led Peyton to pick up the sketch pad and pencil and almost before she had realized what she was doing she had her first good sketch in months. Funny thing was? While Mark had been expressing his feelings for Peyton in words she'd been doing the same thing and upon turning over the paper now Peyton could see the lyrics he'd written for her.
The patio door sliding open startled Peyton out of her thoughts and Jake looked almost embarrassed to have interrupted her, they'd been there for two days and Peyton knew he'd tried to turn around and drive back to Chicago. No one would convince could convince him of otherwise, until Brooke had taken him aside what words had been exchanged no one knew but Jake had ended up agreeing to stay for the rest of the week. "I didn't mean to interrupt..."
"Jake..."
"Nathan said everyone had gone shopping..."
"I offered to stay so that Lynn could take a nap, I told them I wanted to sketch anyway. How, um, was the basketball game?" It broke Peyton's heart that things were this awkward between her and Jake, for the longest time she'd held onto the hope that one day they would find their way back to each other. That they would both be in the right place at the right time, while she was being completely honest with herself she might as well add that a part of herself believed that if she and Mark hadn't gotten married and if he hadn't come with that she and Jake would have been able to fix things.
"It was good, although Mark..."
"He isn't much of a basketball player." Peyton laughed, for so many years she'd just assumed, between Jake and Nathan, that she would marry a Raven's basketball player
"Peyton," Jake couldn't believe he was actually going to say this, he'd come to to California to tell Peyton that he loved her. That maybe they could find a place in each other's lives again. But he couldn't do that, he couldn't just uproot Peyton's life again, he'd done that too many times before and it stopped now. "I'm happy for you, I'm glad you found someone who could be a part of your life and make you happy. You deserve it."
"Jake." Peyton stood up and wrapped her arms around him, they held each other close for several long moments, both of them lost in the past and thoughts of what could never be.
When they finally broke apart Jake placed a gentle kiss on Peyton's forehead. "Let him make you happy Peyton. I know you and you're gonna get scared if things actually go well for you in a relationship, but he's going to make you happy. You just have to let him."
"But chicka chicka boom boom! Look, there's a full moon. A is out of bed, and this is what he said 'Dare double dare, you can't catch me. I'll beat you to th top of the coconut tree.' Chicka chicka..."
"Boom! Boom!" Lynn jumped in when Jake paused to allow her to finish the book she had demanded he read to her for her bedtime story.
"So that's your favorite book, Lynn?" Jake asked after closing the bright pink, orange and green hardcover book and dropping it into the overflowing book basket next to the glider.
"Uh-huh, chicka boom boom."
"Thanks for letting me put you to bed, kid."
"Love you."
Jake pulled Lynn to him in a hug, mostly so she couldn't see the tears that are clouding his eyes, her could feel her adjust herself as the thumb went in the mouth and she snuggled against his chest; and in that moment Jake could pretend that it was Jenny in his arms. The day the paternity tests had come back had been the hardest in Jake's entire life and the days following it hadn't been any easier. But there had always been that glimmer of a chance with him and Peyton and he'd held onto that with everything he had in him, until today. Starting today he had nothing.
He was relieved when Lynn's body went limp in his arms, he couldn't explain away the tears to the little girl who had showers of sympathy for even the slightest frown that crossed the faces of the people she loved. Carefully, with all the practice he'd had with Jenny and had yet to forget, Jake moved off of the gliding chair and laid Lynn in her crib. He stood there for a moment and watched her chest slowly rise and fall.
The sob that escaped his lips couldn't be controlled and he moved back onto the chair as he buried his face in his hands. Brooke had heard the sound when she passed by the door on the way to her bedroom, she couldn't stand being in the living room anymore. Couldn't stand to watch Nathan and Haley cuddle on the couch glad to have the night off and Peyton and Mark had gone to bed early. Brooke had claimed a headache. But mostly she couldn't stand to be in the same room as Lucas but have him refuse to even acknowledge that she was present, so much for being adults.
She stood at the door for several minutes debating whether or not she should even enter the room, eventually though she did push open the door and her eyes immediately landed on Jake slumped over in the rocking chair. Jake didn't look up but by the way his entire body went rigid it was obvious that he was aware that she was there. Softly kneeling in front of him Brooke placed a gentle hand on his arm. "Hey."
Brooke had expected him to pull away, pretend that he wasn't crying, so she certainly didn't expect him to pull her into a crushing hug. But when he did sobbing, "I miss her more then anything." Brooke gently rubbed circles in his back knowing full well that there was nothing she would be able to say to offer any consolation.
"Jake," Brooke pulled away slightly when his breathing had become less ragged. "Come on, we're going out. Everyone can stay and watch their stupid movie or sleep, but you and I are going to go out and do something with our evening. And I don't want to hear and protests from you mister." She stood up and reached out a hand to pull Jake into a standing position.
Jake couldn't help the smile that spread across his face as Brooke led him from their car up a large hill. When she said they were going out he figured a loud noisy club not sneaking into a park. She was always full of surprises and he was glad time hadn't altered that part of her.
They finally reached the top of the hill and Brooke went to work spreading the blanket out. "See I told you it would be worth it." She looked up at him with a Cheshire grin as she watched him take in the spectacular view.
"Damn Brooke how did you find this spot?" He asked as he gazed at the Bay Bridge lit up with the city lights twinkling behind it. It was amazing just like she had promised.
"Lynn and I found it actually." She motioned for him to sit beside her. "I took her here with a picnic basket when she was about ten months old and we were having so much fun. I didn't want to leave and before I knew it, it was dark. I noticed the lights in the distance and we went exploring. Jake you should have seen her face she got so excited, then fell asleep drooling on my shoulder." she giggled. "Nevertheless, I never forgot that moment. That little girl just seems to make everything magical. Seeing the world through her eyes makes you see what really matters in life."
Jake hung his head trying to stop the emotion he felt from Brooke's words. "Yeah, I remember that with Jenny," he spoke softly.
Brooke gently reached for his hand and faced him. "I'm so sorry Jake I didn't mean to bring up…well painful memories."
He smiled reassuringly at her. "Brooke it's alright. Actually, it feels good thinking about her with you. You're the first person I've even spoke her name in front of in so long. It just hurt too much."
"Lay back." She instructed and laid down herself.
" What? Why?"
"Come on just do it," she prodded.
Jake laid flat on his back directly beside her. His hand never left hers.
"Now, look up at the stars and tell me what you remember most. Don't laugh, but my grandmother always told me it's easier to confess to the heavens then to someone's face." She squeezed his hand.
"Actually, your Grandmother sounds pretty wise."
"Yeah, she was." She admitted with an air of sadness in her voice. "Now, just try it for me."
Jake felt her tiny hand intertwined with his and got lost in the stars above. "I miss the mornings most. She would always greet me with a huge goofy grin and when she was old enough she'd raise her arms up to me and say 'Uppy Daddy.' Then we'd have breakfast together no matter how much in a rush I was. She'd always sit in my lap and she liked to feed me just like I did her." Jake chuckled lightly at the memory.
Brooke laughed with him just picturing the beautiful scene in her head.
"Then at the end of the day when I put her into bed she wouldn't close her eyes till I sang to her, but right when the song ended she always opened her eyes one last time to say, 'Jenny loves Daddy this much.' and spread her arms as wide as they could go. I would do it right back to her before I kissed her forehead and tucked her hair behind her ear." He finished softly, trying to hold back the tears.
Brooke could hear the devastation still present in his voice and her heart broke all over again for him. Jake had been Jenny's father in every sense of the word and she still couldn't fathom that being a sperm donor gave another man more rights than Jake, who still loved Jake with every fiber of his being.
"Jake I know nothing will ever take away the pain of losing her, but as someone who's parents' were never there for her, Jenny will always carry your love with her. My grandmother was the only person I knew loved me and she passed when I was six, but I still remember her. Specific things I forget, but her presence and love is always with me. You were with Jenny in her most vital moments. She can feel that you were there for her during those sleepless nights, when she leaned to walk, when she fell down, and when she just needed someone. She may not remember everything, but trust me Jake you shaped her life forever in those precious years." .
Jake turned to face her. "Thank you Brooke, I needed to hear that."
She stroked his face. "I needed this too Jake. You helped me see how great a man can be."
Jake leaned in slowly and kissed her softly taking them both by surprise. He didn't know why, but in that moment he had to feel her lips on his.
Brooke looked into his eyes and couldn't help herself either. She captured his lips in a much more passionate kiss knocking Jake on his back.
As her tongue swirled around his Jake ran a hand through her hair holding her tightly to him. He heard her moan softly in his mouth and pulled her on top of him. He slowly ran a hand under her shirt and felt her smooth back discovering there was no bra strap to contend with.
Brooke sat up and in one swift motion removed her top smiling as Jake's eyes darkened with lust.
Jake couldn't believe how breathtaking she was. He knew he should probably start finding the words to say this was wrong, but in his heart he didn't think it was wrong. His body was aching to be with her, but his soul needed her just as much. With seeing Peyton and memories of Jenny overtaking him, it was in Brooke he was finding refuge from the pain. It may only last one night, but it was a night he couldn't pass up.
Brooke arched her back as Jake took one of her breasts into his mouth. She dug her nails into his scalp as the sensations flowed through her. She could feel his hardness pressing into her spurring her moans to become evident to anyone within a mile of them. She could barely register Jake flipping her on her back until she caught site of him removing his shirt to reveal his well toned chest. She needed him now. She immediately reached for his belt and undid his pants in record time.
Jake smirked against her neck at her quick work. He groaned into her ear as she slipped a tiny hand into his boxers and began to stroke him. If he didn't distract her he was going to blow. He moved his hands up her thighs pushing the skirt, he now was very glad she changed into, up at the same time. He found her center and felt the moisture soaking through her lace panties. Pushing them aside, he slipped two fingers inside her giving her as good as he was getting.
The next few minutes were a daze and neither would ever remember how the remaining clothes were discarded. All that mattered to both was that nothing was separating their bodies now. Jake halted above her and looked deep into her eyes silently asking permission. He got his answer in a searing kiss and with one quick thrust they were one.
Brooke held him tightly to her as he moved within her. God, he felt so good. She knew that tomorrow they would wake up and most likely go back to normal, but she would never regret this moment. They both were running from demons of the past. Hers was Lucas and his Peyton and Jenny. She hoped he knew she needed this as much as he did. They were each other's solace and maybe some people wouldn't understand sex being comfort, but to them she would say try it and then judge. She needed to feel wanted, desired, and most of all feel alive. Jake was giving her that and she relished in giving it right back.
"God Jake, don't stop." She moaned and wrapped her legs around his back.
Jake felt her clench around him tightly and almost lost it. He knew she was close and he wanted her right there with him. He massaged a breast in his hand knowing it would bring her there faster.
Brooke felt herself climb and knew she couldn't stop it even if she tried, but why the hell would she ever want to stop it. She bucked her hips hard against his as she fell over the edge and cried out his name in ecstasy.
That was Jake's undoing and with one final thrust found his release.
After a few moments he leaned up and kissed her softly on the lips. "You're amazing Brooke."
Brooke smiled and brought him back down for a deep kiss. "You haven't seen all my tricks." She revealed against his lips.
He laughed brushing a few stray strands out of her face. "Is that so?"
"You bet your ass mister." She gave him a coy smile before flipping him on his back and sitting on top of him. She ran a finger down his chest. "Lucky for you this park won't open back up till six in the morning."
Jake grabbed her arm pulling her down to him. "Definitely lucky for me." He replied back before seizing her lips once more.
For the next few hours the two friends found comfort and immense pleasure in each other. Neither would ever look back on this night with regret. They had no one to answer to but themselves. Even if past loves or friends discovered their tryst they would still stand proud. They went into this with eyes and souls wide open and nothing could diminish that.
"So are you ready to talk to me about whatever had you so lost in your own little world last night?" Mark asked once Peyton began to stir the next morning.
Peyton rolled over to face her new husband, that was the one thing that had drawn her to Mark from the start. He knew the perfect balance of when to make Peyton talk and when to just let her stew and brood. He didn't push her unless she needed to be pushed. "Jake and I talked last night when you guys got back from the basketball court."
"Ah."
"Ah?"
"Yes, ah."
"Well what's that supposed to mean?"
"It means that conversation went one of two ways, and the ending of one of them means I'll probably be going home alone." Mark would be lying if he said that he hadn't been worried since the moment he'd met Jake that Peyton would leave him, he'd always been afraid of what Peyton would do if she was ever face to face with Jake again. She said she loved Mark, but he knew that there would forever be something between Jake and Peyton and ultimately it came back to the question, what do you choose first love, or new love?
"I'm not going anywhere Mark, I married you, not Jake. Jake and I are over, and it was just weird finally letting it all go. I'm not saying that I'm never going to look at Jake again and be reminded of what we had but it doesn't mean the same thing to me as it once did." Peyton gently rested her head on Mark's chest. "I love you."
"I hear all that French conversation in there," Haley pounded on the door. Gget your newlywed butts out of bed, it's your last day here and we're spending it at the beach."
"I can't believe our week is already up," Haley sighed a she flopped onto a beach blanket situated in-between Peyton and Brooke. "You guys could stay longer, it is summer vacation you don't have to stay just a week."
"We can't," Peyton shook her head as her faze followed Mark several feet in front of them. "We have to get back. Mark has work and we have to figure out this married life thing."
"I can't believe you are married P. Sawyer."
"Brooke, how many times do I have to tell you that it's P. Calendrier?"
"You've been my P. Sawyer longer."
"Yeah, but it's time to grow up now Brooke, we're getting old."
"Correction Tutor-wife, you're both getting old."
"And what are you then Brooke?" Haley questioned with a laugh.
"I'm still young, hot and single. No husband, no kids, just the way I like it." There was a truth to Brooke's words, she knew that she wasn't ready for her best friend's lives, wasn't ready to live her life for a child like Haley was. Wasn't ready to spontaneously marry like Peyton had, but that certainly didn't mean that Brooke didn't wish she had someone.
"So there's really no chance of you and Lucas getting back together?" Peyton asked as she rolled onto her side and shifted her gaze from her husband to Brooke and Haley.
"Hello, am I the only one who noticed Lucas' little freeze out? He's hardly said a word to me the entire time we've been here, not that I blame him. If he'd run away from our problems like I did I probably wouldn't talk to me too, or him, whatever. The point is I'd be pissed as hell." Brooke dropped her head down so that her forehead rested on the towel, the bright green blurring her vision."
"You still love him!"
"Duh, Tutor-wife," came Brooke's muffled reply, "but clearly he doesn't love me anymore."
"Or maybe he just thinks you don't want to be with him anymore. You were the one to walk away."
Brooke shrugged at Haley's words before she lifted herself up again so that her chin rested on her arms, "it's over for us." All three fell silent for several minutes, they watched Mark and Luke throw a frisbee back and forth while Nathan chased Lynn around until she sought safety in Jake's arms. It wasn't lost on any of them how much life had changed since high school had ended and with that came the understanding that things would never be the same as it had once before. They would always be a part of each others lives, but marriage and children would change their dynamic forever.
"The new baby is due December sixth. So maybe you all could come out for Christmas, if can make it..." Haley teared up at her own words and as she wiped the tears off her cheeks she apologized, "I'm sorry, stupid hormones. I guess I just miss you guys."
Both Brooke and Peyton leaned into Haley, they wrapped their arms around each other as Peyton stated. "We'll be here, you can count on it."
Early July 2008
"Are you okay?" Lucas gave Brooke a sidelong glance, they'd been sitting next to each other in first class seats for three hours now and neither of them had hardly said a word. Lucas had spent the first hour dismissing Brooke's silence and ashen face as worry for Haley, it had only been that morning that Lucas had gotten the call from Nathan saying that Haley had been in an accident the afternoon before, and Lynn had been with her. Lynn had escaped without a scratch, thanks to her back seat and Haley would be fine, but the baby that Haley was to have given birth to in four months was gone.
"I'm going to be sick." Brooke didn't even both to take into account whether or not the seatbelt light is on overhead before she bolted out of her seat and toward the first unoccupied bathroom.
Lucas leaned his head back against the cushioned head rest, he couldn't blame Brooke for feeling the way she was feeling. Hell he felt queasy. They'd spent a week together a little over a month ago and hadn't spoken all because of his stupid pride. He'd known that he and Brooke were having problems, he wasn't an idiot, but never in a million years had he expected the phone call that she left on his answering machine telling him that she was on her way to Italy for six months. So even though that first day in the airport he'd promised Brooke that they could act like adults he hadn't, he'd acted childishly the entire week. He'd punished her for leaving by not talking to her, he'd hoped that by proving to himself and everyone around him that he could pretend she didn't exist, then he'd be over her. But every single little action the entire week hadn't gone unnoticed by him and only made him miss her, yearn for her, more.
"They're going to be fine," Lucas promised once Brooke settled back in her seat, she looked no less pale but a flight attendant immediately appeared with a coke and crackers. "I, uh, got us open ended tickets so that we can stay with them for as long as they need us." He needed to keep talking to her, to get her talking, because he was still holding onto the hope that maybe there could still be something there between them.
Brooke gratefully accepted the drink that the petite blonde woman in the dark blue suite brought her and took small sips of it while she listened to his words. "Lucas, this is going to destroy them."
"We'll be there for them."
Brooke's chin trembled, she was scared for them. But more then that she was scared at the rate that everything seemed to be changing. "What if we're not enough?"
Lucas acted on the emotion quickly, he pushed up the armrest in-between them and pulled Brooke into his arms. He was almost shocked to find that she still fit in his arms the same way that she always had. It had been less then a year but somehow it felt like so much longer. He couldn't promise her that they would be enough, neither of them knew what it meant to lose a child, and he knew Brooke well enough to know that she didn't want him to make false promises to her. So instead he held her long after her few tears dropped onto his chest and long after her body went limp against his.
"Excuse me," Brooke took charge the instant she and Lucas stepped foot in the hospital. They'd come straight from the airport, and Brooke was revitalized. There was something about waking up in Lucas' arms again that made her feel like she was safe again, like no matter what was happening everything was going to be okay. "Hi," she placed her hand son the nurses desk. "We're looking for Haley James-Scott, we were told that she was staying here."
"Are you family?"
"This is Lucas Scott, he's the brother-in-law and I'm with him."
"Room 215."
"Come on Broody." The nickname slipped out before Brooke could even check herself, but somehow it didn't cause an awkward silence between the two set out for the appropriate hospital corridor. "215 is right..." Brooke trailed as the door she was pointing at flung open to reveal Nathan who looked furious, it was obvious he didn't even take notice of them as he stormed past.
Lucas and Brooke both exchanged a glance before Luke turned around to follow his brother, "Nate!"
Brooke watched Lucas and Nathan walk down the hallway together before she carefully pushed open Haley's hospital room door, "Tutor-wife?" The only response she got was a sob from the huddled lump on the bed. "Oh, Haley."
"He blames me," Haley sobbed, she couldn't even bring her eyes to meet Brooke's but that doesn't mean that she missed the puffy red rimmed eyes. "For the accident. He said I should have let Komala take Lynn to the doctor so that I could stay and sleep because I've been fighting this cold and I haven't been sleeping. And..."
"Haley, Haley, this isn't your fault," Brooke offered her friend's hand a squeeze unsure of what to do. This was all just to much for her, and she found herself wishing that Lucas was here. He'd be able to say the right things to Haley and keep Brooke calm all at the same time, but he had his hands full with Nathan and she just had to suck it up. "And he didn't mean what he said, he's just hurting." Brooke's words were met with nothing more then tears so carefully she crawled into bed with Haley, wrapping her arms around her sobbing friend and offering only her presence as comfort.
"How is she?" Lucas' voice just outside of Haley's room caused Brooke to jump when she finally emerged from the hospital room two hours later.
"She's asleep," Brooke ran a hand through her hair, all she'd been able to do was hold Haley while she cried, until finally a nurse came in to give her a sedative that had finally let Haley have some sort of peace. "Where's Nathan?"
"He went home, Komala called. I guess Lynn was freaking out, I offered to go but he said he should be the one to go."
"He and Haley fought, I guess." Brooke shrugged, she really didn't know any of the details Haley had been in the state of mind to give her answers.
Instinctively Brooke stepped into Lucas' arms and the two remained in each other's arms for a long time, "Brooke?"
"What?" Brooke wished Lucas hadn't said anything, she'd been letting her mind pretend that they weren't in the middle of the hospital and that she hadn't run away because she'd been too scared of him running.
"Marry me." His eyes locked onto hers and Brooke knew that there was nothing but devastating seriousness written there.
"Lucas..."
"I know it's not the right time, me proposing in the middle of a hospital. With everything that's going on with Nathan and Haley, but I love you. God help me Brooke Davis I've tried everything I can to convince myself that I don't but I do, and I know that if I told tell you how I feel right now with you in my arms I'll never get the chance again."
"Lucas I can't..."
"I know the timing isn't spectacular Brooke, but beyond that can you give me a reason why we shouldn't be together?"
"Jake and I slept together!" Brooke's face drained of any color that she'd gained back in the last couple of hours. "And I'm pregnant."