AN: Tweetiebird86; tvloony, thank you for reviewing. I appreciated it. I'll try to post another chapter tomorrow.

Peyton and Lucas were both unaware to the fact that Nathan, Brooke and Haley were looking at them from a far wondering what is going on between the two.

"Well, there's Peyton" pointed Brooke. She was trying really hard not to show Peyton, she still cares and wants some answer too.

"With Lucas? What are they talking about?" Haley wondered.

"More like arguing." Nathan interjected.

"Yeah, they don't seem to be all lovey-dovey." Brooke said.

Both Nathan and Haley looked at her weird.

"What? I'm just saying." Brooke said shrugging the looks off.

"Peyton did not come back here for Lucas." Nathan stated.

"How do you know?" Brooke wondered out loud.

"I just do. If it was about, why does it look like Peyton hates Lucas right now." Nathan said as their two friends, Peyton and Haley, were yelling at each other. They could not hear what it was about. But it's very obvious that they are disagreeing on something.

"Should we come there and try break them off?" Haley said.

"Let's just let them be. They should be able to resolve whatever that is. Let's just watch what'll happen." Nathan answered.

I think we should go over there. Damn it Brooke! You told yourself you do not care anymore. Wait. Why is Peyton...? Is she crying? Brooke thought to herself.

"What the hell?!" Brooke said out loud as she saw Peyton slap Lucas really hard. She even thought she heard it from where they were standing.

"Ouch!" Haley winced for Lucas.

"That'll leave a mark" Nathan stated.

"Lucas, must have said something stupid." Brooke said. He deserved it.

"Really, really stupid." Nathan added.

"Nathan, Tutorgirl, you should go there see what's going on." Brooke ordered. Make sure she's alright.

"Why don't you go check on her?" Nathan asked.

"I can't." Brooke said sadly.

"Can't? Or Won't?" Nathan asked again.

"I'm glad she's back and she's okay, I am. There was not a day I did not think about her, but we just can't be friends anymore. It hurt too much when she left, it hurt more than what she did with Lucas. And that hurt a lot. We are just better off as acquaintances. I'm better off if I care for her from a far." Brooke said defeated then turned around leaving the couple alone.

"And take care of her. I know you will, just take really good care." Brooke said as she turned back around to face the couple.

"We will Brooke." Haley said.

Brooke then walked away and went to find Bevin.

Nathan and Haley went to Lucas and Peyton. By the time, they reached the two, Peyton was already walking away and Lucas was kicking the land.

"What did you say to her man?" Nathan asked worried.

"I uhh." Lucas did not know what to say.

"I'm gonna go after her, okay?" Nathan said kissing Haley's forehead.

"Yeah,okay. I'll see you later." Haley said.

Nathan went to follow Peyton who was heading to the parking lot.

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"What happened?" Haley asked her best friend.

"I just wanted to know why she left Hales. I was so worried. I did not mean to upset her. She just left and now she's all of a sudden back without even telling us where she's been." Lucas explained.

"I don't think she was upset. She was more mad than upset." Haley said.

"You saw..?" Lucas asked.

"Yeah we did. And even if we hadn't, there is a mark on your face telling us what happened." Haley said trying to lighten the atmosphere.

"She just more closed off than she did before. Her walls had gone up much higher and the only person who can actually lower those walls is..." Lucas was cut off by Haley.

"She cares, you know that she does. Seeing her best friend like that isn't really a fun sight to see for her. It's been really hard for her too. She's just dealing, Luke. She'll come around eventually." Haley said defending Brooke.

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"What happened back there?" Nathan asked as soon as he reached Peyton.

Peyton took a deep breath then said, "Lucas being an ass."

"What did he say to you?" Nathan asked worried.

Peyton got in her car. Nathan also got in her car.

"Nothing worth repeating, I don't wanna talk about it."

"You've been avoiding me..." Nathan started leaving the sentence hanging.

"Yeah" was all that Peyton could say.

"We need to talk. I need to ask you some questions that has been bugging the hell out of me for the past few days." Nathan said.

Peyton remained silent.

"Peyton, I don't want to upset you. I really don't. And I know I was a jerk last time we talked although I promised you I would be a better friend. But, what are those pills for? Why are you taking them?" Nathan said worried his eyes pleading to give him answers.

"Nathan..." Peyton begged hoping he'll drop it.

"Peyt, I know that they are taken by people who have chemo and those pills are yours I saw your name on it. Please, Peyt? What's wrong? Are you sick?" Nathan asked with tears.

Peyton was having an internal battle of whether to tell or not to tell Nathan what is going on. After the conversation she had with Lucas, she just wanted to be alone, to cry, to just forget about everything. She had been avoiding Nathan or talking to him for the past couple of day. Today though, she just wanted to let everything out, tell everything, tell it to anyone that'd listen.

"Cancer." Was all that Peyton could say after a moment of debate on her part.

Nathan looked confused and worried.

"What?" Nathan asked not believing what he was hearing.

"I have cancer." Peyton said just above whisper.

"You can't. Are you sure? Maybe they made a mistake? Maybe they could...take some... I don't know..tests? or whatever? They make mistakes you know." Nathan asked dumbly. He knows deep inside its true. There was no mistake. He had seen the pills. That is even one of the reasons why he began asking questions even though Peyton had already told them that she'll tell them when she's ready.

They were silent for quite a while. No one said a word after the revelation. Peyton kept on staring into space. Nathan keeps on looking at Peyton then at the windshield. He tried opening his mouth to say something, but words just seem to be caught in his throat. He wanted to comfort her, to say words that'll make ease the pain she must have or been going through, but knew that words are just not enough\h to soothe those pain. Not at that moment.

They had been sitting in that car for a good an hour and a half before someone decided to say something.

"Why didn't you tell us?" Nathan asked.

"Because things are just...too complicated then, it was just too hard. I wanted to tell Brooke, but I uhhh... I screwed it up with her. I couldn't tell you because you and Haley are going through a very rocky patch...and...I didn't want to ruin it for you too. I just didn't want... I just want things to change or... go back to the way things were... before Lucas and everything." Peyton said in between sobs.

Nathan held her close soothing her back.

"You should have told us. It would not have affected Haley and I." Nathan said then he held her face to face him, to look at him and said, "I'm sorry I wasn't there for you, I should have noticed then that something was wrong. I should have been there. We all should have. I'm so sorry Peyt"

Peyton sobbed much harder letting all the tears fall. It made her feel a bit better now that she had told someone about it.

"I guess I deserved it, you know." Peyton said as her sobs had mellowed down.

"What are you saying?! You, do not deserve this. Even Brooke will tell you that much!" Nathan replied.

"Yeah, about that, I know this is a lot to ask but I don't want anyone to know yet, especially Brooke." Peyton said.

"But she deserves to know. You're her best friend, don't you think you'd wanna know if you were in her place?" Nathan explained.

"Of course I'm going to hell her. Just not now. She has to let go of anger, hatred, or whatever it is that she feels towards me before I tell her. We have to be on the same page when I do. It wouldn't be fair if I just told her like that. I know Brooke and I don't want her to just forgive me because I'm sick, because she pities me or because she feels guilty. She has to get over what happened first." Peyton said.

"Ok. So can I ask where you went when you left?" Nathan said agreeing to the blonde wishes.

"New York. I went to get treatment there." Peyton said.

"So, how was it? The treatment they did?" Nathan asked

"It was... hard, made me very tired and just... very tired." Peyton answered.

"I really wish you called us. We would have been there. Cheer you up maybe" Nathan said.

"I never really intended on seeking treatment." Peyton said enlightening Nathan.

"Then, why'd you leave?" Nathan asked again.

"I told you before, Nate, things got too complicated here and I just wanted to get away." Peyton explained.

They were silent again for a few minutes.

"You know... I actually thought that if I left Tree Hill that none of it will be real, like I could just start a life cancer free." Peyton said a hint of smile while she glanced at Nathan.

"I think its time for me to drop you off. Haley might be wondering where you are." Peyton stated.

"She knows I went after you."Nathan said not really wanting for the conversation to end. He wants to know more about what happened to the blonde when she runaway.

"I think we should take a breather on this one." Peyton said as turned on the engine and drove towards Haley and Nathan's apartment.

Nathan just nodded knowing that there was no use pushing the blonde off after such a big revelation.

"Don't tell Hales, please." Peyton said as she reached the couple's apartment.

"It's..." Nathan started but Peyton gave him a look. "Fine, fine I won't"

"Thanks. And hold it together for me please?" Peyton said.

"Just call me if you need anything or to talk?" Nathan said sheepishly then tapped the blonde's leg and got out of the car.

"Good Night, Peyt!" Nathan said through her window.

"Night Nate!" Peyton waved then drove off.

Nathan took a deep breath and attempted to fix himself then got in to their apartment.