Author's Note:

Wow! FIVE reviews for one chapter. You guys made me the happiest person alive. THANK YOU so much for your reviews!

I hope you enjoy the next chapter

Disclaimer:

I own only what you do not recognize

-

"Alright is there anything I can…." Peyton stopped talking when she saw Emily. She was on the bed fast asleep. Peyton smiled at the sight. Emily looked so peaceful when she was sleeping. Peyton wasn't tired so she decided to draw, she had just gotten inspired.

Peyton woke up to the sound of a pencil scribbling furiously on a piece of paper. She looked up and saw Emily sprawled out, on the floor of her bedroom, doing what appeared to be math homework.

Peyton groaned "What time is it?" she is asked groggily.

Emily looked up at Peyton "9:00. Sorry if I woke you." she said. apologetically.

"Its okay," Peyton replied "How long have you been awake?"

"Uhh…since five," Emily replied looking at her watch.

"What have you been doing since five o'clock, on a Saturday morning no less?" Peyton asked, incredulously.

"My homework" Emily answered concentrating on her work.

"Your homework" Peyton said peering over Emily's shoulders. "You take trigonometry?" Peyton stated, doubtfully.

"Yea…" Emily replied, hoping Peyton wouldn't figure out her secret, one of them at least.

"Wanna try again" Peyton said looking directly at Emily. "The paper says Mike Woods in the name column…and unless I'm missing something…your name is not Mike. What's going on?"

"Busted" Emily thought.

Peyton noticed the deer caught in a head light look on Emily's face and signaled her to join her on the bed. Emily did so and both sisters sat face to face on the bed in silence until Emily finally spoke.

"Someone at school is kind of giving me a hard time and the only way to get them off my back is to do their and their friends' homework." Emily said avoiding Peyton's eyes.

"Define hard time" Peyton said. Emily looked up at Peyton and could see she was getting angry.

"The usual" Emily said looking up at Peyton "Name calling, knocking over my books, shoving me against my locker, threats. It's not a big deal. I can handle it." She added reassuringly.

"Who is it?" Peyton asked her anger towards this bully clear in her voice. "And don't lie because you know I can find out"

"That doesn't matter." Emily said bravely "I can't fight my own battles. Promise me you won't go after her. It'll only make things worse."

Peyton sighed "Fine…I promise" she said. She was secretly happy because she had just found out that the bully was a girl. Now she was one step closer to finding out the bully's identity.

Emily looked at her skeptically and Peyton quickly changed the subject.

"Sooo…do you like my newest art addition" Peyton said pointing to a sketch of Emily sleeping.

Emily laughed "It's not one of my best poses, but I love it. Have I mentioned you're an amazing artist?"

Peyton laughed as well. "Yes. Actually you have."

After a while the laughter died down. "Do you draw?"Peyton asked, curiously.

Emily visibly tensed "I used to, but I haven't in a while" she responded, hoping Peyton would drop the subject.

Peyton had other plans. "Why?" she asked, wondering what could cause someone to stop drawing.

"My muse died" she said sadly.

Peyton nodded. She'd assumed Emily meant figuratively. Only Emily knew that her muse had literally... died.

"Okay come on!" Peyton said getting off the bed and walking towards her dresser. She quickly took out two pairs of jeans and two shirts. She threw one of the outfits at Emily.

"That should fit you. It's too small for me. Now get dressed we're going out."

Emily picked up the clothes and looked at Peyton confused. "Where?"

"That's for me to know and you to find out." Peyton teased.

Emily stuck her tongue out at Peyton and went into the bathroom to change.

-

Thirty minutes later Emily and Peyton got into Peyton's car.

"So what do you think?" Peyton asked, referring to her car.

"It's awesome." Emily said "I never seen a 68' Comet up close."

"Wow…now I'm impressed." Peyton chuckled. "Don't tell me you're into cars too."

"Not really" Emily replied "My da…Uhh friendwas really into them. He was from my old school. Emily looked up at Peyton to see if she had caught her mistake. Lucky for Emily, she didn't.

"Must have been a cool guy" Peyton stated, starting the car.

"The best" Emily whispered.

"What?" Peyton asked, not hearing what Emily had said.

"Nothing. Oh, I was wondering if we could stop by my house before we start this adventure of yours. I need to get something."

"Yeah…sure. What's your address?"

Emily told Peyton her address and ten minutes later the duo pulled up in front of Emily's house.

"Is this it?" Peyton asked as she stopped the car.

"Yep, I'll be right back" Emily said, as she got out of the car. Peyton nodded and cut on her iPod.

Once she got to her porch she unlocked her front door with her keys. Emily took a deep breath, opened her door and stepped into her house. Her house was gorgeous. The dining room had a large chandelier. The kitchen had a large breakfast nook. And, all the rooms had a beautiful hardwood floor.

Emily, however, didn't notice this. All she noticed were the empty wine bottles that were scattered everywhere throughout the house. "That was fast" Emily thought "I just cleaned this house two days ago."

"Mom!" Emily called as she walked through the house in search of her mother. When Emily finally found her mother she was on the couch, not moving. Emily quickly ran over to her mother and began desperately searching for a pulse. When she finally found one she let out the breath she had been holding in.

Emily had come home to find her mother passed out from drinking hundreds of times before. And out of those hundreds of times Emily had only not found a pulse twice.

Emily sighed at the sight of mother passed out on the couch. Her hair was disheveled, her make up was messed up, and her clothes where dirty. She grabbed the blanket that was on the arm of the chair and laid it over her mother. Then, she bent down, kissed her mother on the cheek, and walked to the front door. Despite everything her mother had put her through over the years. She still truly loved her.

When Emily got to the front door she wiped away the tear that had fallen from her eye, took a deep breath, and opened it. She soon joined Peyton in the car once again.

"Ready Em?" Peyton asked starting the car.

Emily smiled at the nickname "Yep. Let's go," she said. The car pulled out of the parking space and onto the road.

"Bye mom" Emily whispered.

(Author's Note)

That's the sixth chapter. What did you think?

Don't judge Emily's mother just yet because you don't know the whole story. I do (hahahaha). In the next chapters I'll introduce Emily's dad. Don't worry the gang will return in the next chapter. I wanted this chapter to just be about Peyton and Emily so you could see a sister bond forming between them.

I accept any comments you have to make. PLEASE REVIEW, I'm begging you.