OH WHAT A TANGLED WEB WE WEAVE, WHEN FIRST WE PRACTISE TO DECEIVE! – Sir Walter Scott.

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Tree Hill characters or the songs used in the story … I wish I did though. ) Enjoy! And Review.

CHAPTER 3

THEY WEREN'T THERE

Brooke sat alone in the corner of the exquisite Italian restaurant that Nathan had cockily chosen for their so-called first 'date'. She couldn't believe that she had actually agreed to such an absurd idea but seeing Lucas and Peyton walking together like that had really set her going. The only thing that she wanted to do at the time was to inflict as much pain as she could to the two so that they could feel at least for once what it felt to be her, and the only thing that she could think of at that moment was to walk out of the school with Nathan. Once they were out in the parking lot, Nathan was so persuasive and she was so tired with everything that she had said yes to get rid of him. Sure, she could have cancelled it once she had calmed herself, but a part of her wanted to know what Nathan was about. So there she was, sitting in the corner of the fancy restaurant, playing with her drink, waiting for Nathan to arrive.

While waiting, Brooke caught a glimpse of herself in someone else's pocket mirror and she used this chance to study her own image in the few seconds that it was opened; her hair was pulled back into a simple, yet elegant ponytail, her make-up was flawless and she was wearing a vintage yet stylish top that she had gotten not so long ago. She was not ugly and her personality wasn't that awful but yet Lucas had left her and her best friend had thrown away their years of friendship so that they both could be together, leading to them hurt her in the most effective way. And until then, she could not understand why; it was not the feelings that she didn't understood but she didn't understand the way that they had chosen to handle the whole fiasco.

Her train of thoughts was disrupted when Nathan finally arrived at the table looking as hot as ever in his neat shirt and loose jeans. He sat across from her, flashed his arrogant smile and called the waiter so that the two of them could order their dinner. Once that was done and out of the way, he leaned closer across the table and studied her with his mouth twitched into a half-smile.

Brooke, in turn, studied him also and noticed all the pain behind the cocky mask that Nathan had put over his face. Despite him sitting across from her, confident and smiling, she felt his pain as if it was her own. She felt his need to do something, something that could make it all go away, something to sooth their hurting souls. Brooke knew that she was somehow part of the something that Nathan needed to do in order to ease a bit of his pain, and she wanted to find out what it was.

"So, Nathan Scott…"

"Brooke Davis…who would have thought we would be sitting here together?"

Brooke smiled casually.

"You, obviously."

He smiled. It was starting to become a game of who could smile the most.

For a few seconds, none of them said anything; they were both unsure as to what to say. The two didn't have anything common and had never spent more than a few minutes together, even back in the olden days when it was all Peyton and Nathan, Brooke and Lucas. And now, to be thrown together like this, unexpected by Brooke at first, they didn't have enough preparations to at least pretend that they knew each other. Well, Brooke didn't anyway, but she thought that Nathan really should have, but it looked like he had no preparations either. She was starting to realize that it was all on a short-notice, that it was all spontaneous.

"So, Nathan…what are you doing here with me? Am I the next girl you're going to toy with?"

"No, where did-,"

"Oh spare it Nathan. You haven't even ended your so-called relationship with Kenzie and don't even get me started on your 'close' friendship with Rachel, not to mention Trisha, Cassie, Hilary…and you know I could go on with the names of the girls in my squad that you have screwed over."

Taken aback, Nathan didn't say anything for a while.

"And yet, you're here."

Brooke smiled seductively. It was time to play the temptress card.

"Did I object to it?"

Nathan laughed out loud and leaned even closer to grab Brooke's slim hands.

"Then you wouldn't mind if I do this, would you?"

His face inched closer to hers and before Brooke could utter an objection or move away to avert what she knew was about to happen, she felt his much-wanted lips on hers and was immediately lost in it, fascinated by Nathan Scott's infamous kiss. His lips were warm, welcoming even, but yet, it was hard, passionless and without feeling. It was that aspect of the kiss that Brooke was enthralled in, that made her kiss him back with fervor. She was curious and wanted to know more … just more of the man that could kiss in such a way without repulsing the receiver.

Apparently, there was more to Nathan Scott than she could have possibly imagined.

Locked in that way, they didn't notice the waitress who had come to serve their food but as she was leaving, Brooke caught a glimpse of golden curly hair that reminded her so much of Peyton. Nathan caught the appearance of the disappearing lock of hair too and immediately pulled away from Brooke and looked at the waitress who was walking back into the kitchen in such a way that so did not remind Brooke of Peyton. She was sashaying to impress and Peyton never sashayed.

Brooke pulled her eyes away from the waitress and looked at Nathan who was still staring, even after the waitress had disappeared behind the kitchen door and saw him slowly catch his breath. His brash confidence was gone and Brooke realized that the Nathan Scott that she had always known was not the one who was sitting in front of her. This unexpected show of vulnerability was enough for Brooke to know exactly what Nathan was about and for the first time ever in her life, Brooke felt a sense of closeness with Nathan that she had never felt with anyone before; they were both hurting and still holding on to a past that Brooke was beginning to think could never be re-created, no matter how much she or Nathan wanted it.

He turned to look at her and there were no more false pretenses on his face. He tried to gather himself back together but couldn't. He tried to say something but no words came out.

He was opened and exposed … he knew that she knew.

"You forgave him," Nathan said hoarsely. "Why?"

Brooke felt she could cry right then and there; she understood his pain and his need to avenge his hurt…their hurt.

"Because despite everything, I love him…I love him more than I should."

"And that makes what he did okay?"

"No it doesn't, it makes it worse."

Nathan looked at her so helplessly, so much like a little boy being denied his sweets that she just wanted to reach out and make him understand that it was okay to let go…that it was okay to let go of the pain and forgive. She needed to make him understand, lest he destroys himself and the people around him in the long run. She needed to save him from their pain.

"Would you hold it against Peyton forever?"

He didn't answer, and Brooke knew at that instant that he had already forgiven her. It was Lucas that he had a personal vendetta for.

"It takes two, Nathan. If you can forgive her, then you can forgive him too. Just like the way I did."

Seeming to have gathered his self back together again, Nathan's features hardened and he sat up in his chair.

"You love him and you love her. You had an obligation to try, and you succeeded. I had my obligation to forgive, and I did. But with him, I have no obligation to try."

Cold and distant, Nathan began to cut up his steak. Brooke shuddered and knew that the Nathan Scott that she knew was back…and was sitting in front of her, picking at his food.

Oh Lucas, Brooke silently thought to herself. It was supposed to be you...you were supposed to be sitting here with me, accompanying me...dating me. Not your hurting brother.

Brooke looked away from Nathan and watched the people walking outside the restaurant; umbrellas open to shelter them from the pouring rain. She kept wishing to see Lucas walking past, but just like it had been for a long time, he was never there.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The parting of his date was pathetic, at best. After his little break-down, his little lose of self control, it was impossible to continue on with his plan; he knew it was not going to work once Brooke knew of his ulterior motive unless she was willing to carry out the whole thing together with him.

He needn't to ask. He knew she wouldn't.

And so, the night ended in silence from both parts. She tried to talk, but he shut her out. He didn't need to hear anything from her. She had become useless to him, and he didn't need a liability. He couldn't have one if he wanted to take Lucas down.

Having reached his home, Nathan quickly parked his car in his driveway and made his way inside his home, passing Dan along the way without so much of a glance of acknowledgement, and into his room where he could just lie down on his bed and forget his troubles, if only for a few hours. But instead of walking into an empty room, he found Rachel, in one of her decent pajamas, reading a magazine on his bed.

Nathan was glad she was there; it was better to come home to this then to come home, yet again, to an empty, cold room. She was the only thing normal and steady in his life, something that gave him a sense of familiarity, something that his home and family fail to give him. And he felt good that she was there, felt good that she had always been there. Here was something that truly belonged in his life.

Feeling his presence in the room, Rachel looked up from her reading of Cosmo and arched one of her eyebrows inquiringly. Nathan loved it when she looked like she did then; no make-up, her red hair loosely tied into a ponytail, and wearing her Spongebob pajamas. To him it was Rachel, perfected.

"It…it didn't go as I…or rather…we had planned," Nathan answered the unspoken question. They knew each other well enough to know each others thoughts.

Closing her magazine and joyfully sitting up, she leaned forward.

"At least you tried. What happened? Oh but wait, before you get to it, I want to let you know that Chris Keller is in town."

Half-way unbuttoning his shirt, Nathan looked at Rachel, this time it was his eyebrow that was arched up in question.

And Rachel knew what he was silently asking her. "Oh come on, Nate! Chris Keller? We met him at the Alcove in New York, when you made me drive there with you so you could check out Jimmy Eat World live, exactly on the twenty-sixth? Don't tell me you've seriously forgotten who he is? You guys hit it off straight away…you were both lame and shallow at the time. I was embarrassed being with you guys then. So…sad."

Nathan grabbed some clean clothes from his wardrobe as he tried to remember his journey to Alcove. He was pretty wasted at the club…that was to be expected. He did sort of remember meeting a guy there.

"Spiky hair, nose sort of red like a clown's…speaks in the third person?"

"I don't know about the nose, the alcohol must have been playing tricks on you, but either than that, yeah…it's all Chris. Anyway, I remember you telling him to look you up whenever he comes to Tree Hill, you told him about Tric after all. Seriously, don't know what you were thinking promoting your blondie's club, but well, he's here. Most likely going to play there. And he wants to see you; I think he wants you to do him a favor as payment for the many beers that he had bought for you in New York. Apparently, your reputation precedes you. Girl problem I think. He wants somebody in our school."

"Wants?" Nathan asked as he grabbed his towel from his chair.

Rachel shrugged. "Wants, likes, loves…whatever! Well, I just told him to drop by at school tomorrow."

Not replying, Nathan, with his towel and clean clothes, walked to his bathroom, preparing to take a shower.

"Nate, wait! What happened? Why was it a disaster? What did you guys talk about?"

Slightly turning around, Nathan answered. "Not much. Just a whole lot of bullshit."

With that, Nathan left Rachel alone in her room, idle to her own twisted but yet, wily thoughts and thought of Peyton. He was supposed to spend his idle nights with her instead of Rachel, but…she was never there.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The heavy rain incessantly continued to rush at the windows of Peyton's room creating a rhythmic sound that for some reason had always made Peyton feel safe and protected. Drying her hair with a white towel, Peyton walked out of the bathroom and into the gloominess of her room that she called her sanctuary.

She was dressed in her shorts and a white tank top and she walked over to her window and placed her fingertips on it, following the path of the tiny rain drops, her eyes a mirror of what she was feeling inside. She stared outside her window and at the dark sky that covered the whole of Tree Hill and sighed.

She was tired. So very tired.

She was tired of doing all the things she hated, the things that brought pain to all the people around her. But no matter how hard she tried to not do it, the harder it became for her to succeed. She knew that she had terribly hurt Brooke, her childhood best friend, but as much as Peyton didn't want to hurt her, there was nothing she could do. There really was nothing.

And there was Nathan. She knew that she had unfairly broken up with him, had totally crushed his heart into pieces, but despite him being in love with her, he didn't understand her, he didn't know who she truly was. Not in the way that Lucas did. No, no one understood the way Lucas did.

And that was why she began to feel the weight of the world on her shoulders again. She was starting to feel the way she did back when she realized that she was in love with her best friend's boyfriend; the confusion, the jealousy, the helplessness of knowing that there was not a goddamn thing she could do to not feel it. The hate that she had for herself for being such a back-stabbing, uncaring friend and the resentment that she felt for herself when she took Lucas away from Brooke…all the while knowing that this was what she really wanted, what she really needed. No matter what other people say.

Peyton was beginning to feel it all over again because now, she had started to realize that Lucas beyond doubt, wanted to get back together with Brooke…that he had forgotten what they had, short as it was. And now she hated Brooke for being the only girl that Lucas wanted to be with, she hated Brooke because she was not the one.

Peyton could clearly remember the day when she had her moment of revelation; when she knew for sure, that she was not the girl who had a place in Lucas's heart.

The stick had turned blue a few days before she had told him, and she had had a few days to process the whole thing in her mind, had practiced in her head how to handle every possible scenario that could come to pass after she had decided to tell him. She remembered feeling scared but at the same time, excited. She was young, that was true, but she had thought that she was carrying Lucas's child! How could she not be excited? She had thought that she was carrying a life that she and Lucas had lovingly created together and though it was scary, it was…exhilarating.

Of course, Peyton didn't expect Lucas to be thrilled. It was a big deal after all; their life wouldn't be the same after the arrival of their baby but no matter what she had then expected, it was definitely not the reaction that she had gotten from him that day.

His face had changed; it was not revulsion, that she knew, but it was close. He was quiet, she expected that, but she could tell from his face that it had not been her or the baby that he was thinking about, it had been Brooke. His face had lost all hope, all life. Once she had broken the news to him, he had thought that…this was it. He never could go back with Brooke, he could never undo what he had done, and he could never get a second chance. He had realized that he had made a mistake.

He had his moment of revelation then too; Peyton was not the one. And Peyton could see it all written on his face.

She had been very upset when she realized this, after all...who wouldn't be? Who wouldn't feel crushed when they found out that the love of their life, did not want to be with them? Yes, she was crushed. But Peyton thought once the baby comes, he would be different, that there was still hope for the two of them to be happy together.

But it turned out it was just a false alarm. She had not been pregnant. Peyton had not been relieved; she had been scared because then she knew that she had to let him go.

It crushed her even more when she could not see any traces of sadness on his face when she had ended things with him. It killed her that she had only seen relief.

Oh people can judge, she had thought, they can judge her if they dared. They can say things about her, things that probably were not far from the truth, but they weren't there. They weren't there when Lucas had told her how he felt, wrong as it was. They weren't there when he had swept her off her feet. They weren't there when she had realized that Lucas was the one.

Pulling away from the window, Peyton turned to put on some music. Once the sound of the piano had filled her room, Peyton leaned against her wall and closed her eyes.

Lucas was not here, and he would never be here again.

As the singer started to sing her song, Peyton slid down the wall and cried.

You breathed infinity into my world, and time was lost up in a cloud and in a whirl. We dug a hole in the cool grey earth and lay there for the night. And you said, "Wait for me we'll fly the wind, we'll grow old and you'll be stronger without him."

But oh now my world is at your feet; I was lost and I was found, but I was alive and now I've drowned. So now I will be waiting for the world to hear my song so they can tell me I was wrong.

But they weren't there beneath your stare, and they weren't stripped till they were bare of any bindings from the world outside that room. And they weren't taken by the hand, and led through fields of naked land, where any preconceived ideas were blown away so I couldn't say "no." Missy Higgins.

A/N: It might be a while before I update…midterms are coming up and well, I need to prepare. So, if any of you are interested in being part of my mailing list in which I will e-mail you whenever I update next, then say so in your reviews and provide me with your e-mails. I assure you, no one will be forgotten.

So…wish me luck! Hopefully the next chapter will be posted sometime in December; most likely at the end. Keep on reading! Tell me what you think! Give me feeeedback :).