"Okay, ladies, have I got a night planned for you. Listen up, it's going to knock your socks off," Haley excitedly entered the room. "First of all, we're going to watch movies. Are you ready? Top Gun for some Tom Cruise action, Steel Magnolias for the tearjerker, Dirty Dancing, that one's for you, Brooke, we've got the Season 1 DVD of Alf for some comedy and Peyton, for you, Rocky 4."

Peyton looked up and frowned.

"Why'd I get Rocky 4?"

"I don't know," Haley sighed. "I thought you liked it."

"What made you think…"

"Okay, I am extremely emotional and nervous and sensitive and I worked my butt off to plan this night for us so just go with it, will you?"

Brooke, on the other end of the couch couldn't help but smirk.

"Speaking of, what is the point of this night?"

Haley looked around at the elaborate set up she had worked so hard to put together. Popcorn, brownies, cookies, potato chips, finger sandwiches, fruit slices and soda pop hadn't been that hard. In fact, that had been the easy part. Getting rid of Nathan for a night hadn't proved to be too difficult either. The real feat was convincing Brooke to come over for an old fashioned slumber party and getting Peyton to agree to it as well.

"The point is this…my wedding is coming up. My dream wedding to my dream guy. I've been thinking about this since we were 16. I was always the bride and Nathan was always the groom. And you two, two of our oldest and dearest friends were always there by my side on that special day. I know it's been ten years and a whole lot of drama since but you both have been making progress and progress is good, right?"

Brooke and Peyton glanced at each other.

"I guess," they both mumbled at the same time.

Haley grinned.

"See? You guys are agreeing already."

"Haley…" Brooke began.

"It's going to be fun, you'll see. Just give it a try. We'll eat junk food and look hot in our cute little pajamas and stuff our bras and watch movies and be girls again, the girls we used to be, even if it only is for one night. Come on. What do you say?"

Peyton bit at her lip. When Haley had first posed the idea, she had immediately refused. It just seemed like another recipe for disaster. Things with Brooke had cooled drastically and they were back to being civil again but a friendship like the one they used to share didn't appear to be in the cards. But Haley had persisted and the persuasion had chipped away at her resistance. That was until Brooke rang the bell and the blonde felt the butterflies in her stomach.

"Okay," Peyton sighed. "Since this is so important to you and since you went through so much trouble, I guess so. Brooke, I'm down if you are. I mean, we already called a truce and everything."

Brooke let out a dramatic sigh. Spending a Friday night sleeping with Haley and her ex best friend was the last thing Brooke had imagined but Haley had been relentless in her pursuit. Back in the day, she and Peyton had practically lived together but so much had changed since. She wondered if a sleepover would be too close for comfort.

"Okay, fine. I guess it won't hurt to try. Besides, Nate and Cam are probably spooning as we speak," she playfully rolled her eyes.

"How Brokeback of them," Peyton quipped. "That's kind of hot, I guess."

Brooke couldn't help but grin and for a brief moment, the ice was broken, much to Haley's relief.

"Goody. Then it's settled. We'll catch up and read bridal magazines and…"

"Get drunk," Brooke interrupted.

"What?"

"You heard me," she said as she stood and made her way over to the kitchen area. "Come on, you guys have to have some booze in here somewhere. Quit holding out on the good stuff."

"Brooke, I was kind of hoping we could have fun tonight sober."

"Red wine, white wine…ooohhh, Tanqueray," Brooke ignored her.

"Brooke…"

"I will be the resident bartender for the evening, thank you very much and you don't even have to tip me. And trust me, girls, you won't be disappointed. A fine Frenchman named Jean-Paul taught me very well in a quaint little bar in Lyon. Actually, he taught me a lot of things that night," her face broke into a dimpled grin. "Anyway, pick your poison."

Peyton shrugged.

"I'll have a Tequila Sunrise."

"Peyt!" Haley pouted.

"What?"

"Oh screw it," the exasperated hostess conceded. "Make mine Bourbon…straight up."

"Now we're talking," Brooke happily mixed the drinks and served them within a few minutes.

"What do we do now?" Peyton asked after a refreshing sip. "I mean, as much as Tom Cruise and Alf sweeten the pot, we can't have all the fun at once."

"Are you making fun of me?" Haley frowned. "Alf is funny and Tom Cruise is so totally hot."

"You know what's hotter?" Brooke sipped on a Gin and Tonic. "Sex with Cameron."

"Brooke!" Haley blushed.

"What? It is. My guy is totally hot and he is a tiger between the sheets. I even have the bite marks to prove it," she winked.

"I'm sure he is but do you really want to talk about that?"

"Why not?"

"Because it's sacred…and private…and personal and I'm sure Cameron would be fit to be tied if he thought you were discussing your love life with us."

"Oh don't be such a prude. Guys talk about it all the time. Besides, I have nothing but compliments."

"You are so bad," she couldn't help but giggle.

"And I'm sure I'm not the only one with the sizzling sex life. You and Nathan have been together since the Mesozoic Era. He has to be doing something right in the bedroom."

"Oh Brooke, don't embarrass her," Peyton smiled.

Haley let out a devilish laugh, the liquor already starting to take effect.

"In the bedroom, in the living room, in the shower, in the pool, at the beach…in the car."

"Ha!" Brooke howled. "I knew it! I have suspected you two were freaks all along. Now what about you, Peyton?"

The blonde looked away.

"Um…"

"Sorry," Brooke instantly caught herself. "That wasn't an intentional violation of the truce. I didn't mean to…"

"It's okay."

"I mean, not that I wanted to hear about you and Lucas having sex anyway."

"I know."

"Trust me, it's the last thing I want to know. Besides, I know all his tricks anyway. Hell, I taught him half of them."

"Brooke, please don't be a bitch," Haley begged. "Not now. Things were going so well…"

"It's okay," Peyton spoke. "She can't help it."

Brooke tipped her glass.

"Pretty good comeback, P. Besides, you know I didn't mean anything by it. You and Lucas are almost divorced anyway. He's certainly moved on. What about you?"

Peyton took another drink.

"I don't move at Luke's warped speed. I mean, I'd like to find someone. It would be nice but it's not something I'm focused on. Right now I just want to survive this summer and then it's back to work and my career. That's what I'm married to right now."

"A career is great. I've certainly had the time of my life dancing but it's more to life than that. I mean, the Mambo doesn't warm the sheets at night if you know what I mean. You can have a great life but what is it really when you don't have anyone to share your success with?"

"She's right, Peyton," Haley agreed. "I get the fact that you're not in a rush…I don't blame you. But after you take some time for yourself, I hope you do find someone special. I worry about you being all alone."

"Thanks but it's okay."

"What about Jake Jagielski?" Brooke posed.

"What about him?"

"There's always been something between you two, I can't quite put my finger on it. But anyway, Jenny loves you and you love her and Jake is absolutely crazy about you."

"We're just friends."

"And whose fault is that?"

"Brooke!"

"What? Are you blind or is that just the Jose Cuervo talking? The Jakester is way into you. The way he looks at you…it's so obvious."

Peyton smiled, chalking up the giddy feeling to the alcohol.

"I don't know. I don't think so. He's a friend. Jake is a great friend. I'm not ready to be with anybody yet and when I am, I doubt it will be him. I don't want to risk ruining what we have. His friendship means the world to me. He's always been there for me, especially in the last month or so. It means a lot. Chancing that for sex hardly seems worth it to me."

"I think you guys would be cute," Haley added. "I know Jenny would love it. I heard you went to her soccer game. She was so excited."

"It was fun," Peyton blew it off. "No big deal."

Brooke grinned.

"What did you guys do? Was it romantic? Did your hands brush innocently against each other when you reached in the picnic basket? Or did you shoot him a seductive look when you were eating a banana?"

Peyton couldn't help but laugh.

"Dude, first of all, I see you're still reading way too many cheesy romance novels. Second of all, none of that crap happened…thank God. And third, well, we almost got in a fight."

"Why?" Brooke rolled over on her stomach. "Do tell. Tree Hill has gotten a whole hell of a lot more interesting since you breezed back into town, Blondie."

"It's nothing. We were talking about Luke and Caylan and everything that's been going on. I didn't really feel like dealing with it. I don't now. I mean, it sucks but it's done. I can't dwell on it forever and I don't want to. I'm all for making peace with the situation and all but he had the audacity to suggest that I give her a chance."

"Who? Caylan? Are you kidding?" Haley asked in disbelief.

"Is Jake on crack?" Brooke made a face. "I mean, as if! The little underage harlot that stole your husband?"

"Well, she didn't technically steal him," Peyton tried to explain. "We were split up at the time and I did initiate that."

"So. She moved in for the kill. I'm sorry but I have to say it. Something about that girl seriously irks me. From the first second I saw her I got a bad vibe. She seems, I don't know, untrustworthy and fake."

"Maybe so. I kind of cut Jake off and we dropped it to avoid an argument but I've been thinking about it and…"

"Oh hell no, Peyton. Don't even tell me you're gonna think about being friends with her."

"Not friends but…"

"No way! Hold the phone! Stop dead in your Prada heels! Do not pass go, do not collect two hundred dollars…"

"Brooke, it isn't the worst idea in the world," Haley defended.

"So surprising coming from you, Mother Teresa."

"What? I didn't say they should become BFFs. But like it or not, we're all kind of connected. We're all in each others lives. The last thing I want is to befriend the girl but I did promise Luke I'd give her a chance. The least we can do is be civil."

"P. Sawyer, do not listen to the angel on your shoulder. Channel your inner devil. Listen to it. It's telling you not to forgive or forget."

"I don't know, Brooke. How long can you hold a grudge?"

"I've been holding one against you for ten years," the tipsy brunette pointed out.

The three girls looked at each other and burst out laughing.

"Know what, guys?" Haley spoke first. "This kind of feels like old times, like the good old days."

Peyton looked over at Brooke, remembering the times they used to have together.

"Yeah…it kind of does."

Brooke looked at her and gave her smile, a real one.

"It feels nice," she commented in her trademark raspy voice.

"See?" Haley sat up. "I told you two dorks this was a good idea. We're friends. We're sisters. We love each other. That's what a family is all about. Families don't always get along or agree on everything. Sometimes there are arguments and grudges and drama and all that crap but in the end, the love, the bond is still there. You both hurt each other but isn't ten years of being angry long enough? What do you say, guys?"

Brooke gave a stubborn look.

"Don't look at me. I called truce weeks ago."

"I'm not talking about a stupid truce. I'm talking about friendship."

Brooke looked at Peyton and exhaled.

"Time changes a lot. It's kind of hard to take what you've been feeling for over a decade and just change it around in a few minutes."

"I understand," Peyton said softly.

"But…it has been a long time and I do have a great life and Lucas was a real ass for doing what he did. I'm not saying it'll be exactly the way it used to be but um, maybe, maybe we could give it a try. I guess I'd be willing if you are."

Tears sprang to Peyton's eyes.

"I'd like that a lot, Brooke. More than you know."

"This is so beautiful," Haley began to cry. "I'm so proud. And I'm so happy you're not gonna have a cat fight at my wedding. Come here, you two. Group hug. For old time's sake."

The girls joined her and it felt good. For Peyton and Brooke it was a step, a big one. It would take a lot of work and things wouldn't change overnight but they would work on it. At least for a few drunken, fun filled hours it would feel just like old times.