: Outside Peyton's House :

Brooke and Jake stand opposite Lucas and Peyton. Brooke opens her mouth to say something, but nothing comes out. Peyton looks down to the floor while Lucas looks around. Jake looks from Brooke, to Lucas to Peyton. Slowly Jake walks towards Lucas and Peyton, with Brooke following suit.

Brooke: "Jake, calm down."

Jake: "I am calm."

Lucas looks to Jake, who is now standing about a foot away from him.

Lucas: "Jake, listen. I-"

Jake: "Lucas, don't say anything."

Peyton keeps looking to the floor.

Jake: "I get it."

Brooke: "Get what? Am I the only one who's clueless here?"

Jake: "Peyton, we need to talk. Inside?"

Peyton nods, still not looking at any of them. She turns around and starts to walk towards the house. Lucas turns and looks at Jake, who pats him on the shoulder as he walks by. Brooke walks up next to Lucas and watches Peyton and Jake enter the house. She looks up at Lucas.

Brooke: "Hey, Alicia Silverstone of clueless here. What the hell's going on?"

Lucas: "Peyton kissed me because she wants Jake to leave."

Brooke: "Why?"

Lucas: " A number of reasons, all that revert back to Nikki."

Brooke: "Great! Will we ever see the last of that slut-bag-hoe-who-wears-to-much-eye-liner."

Lucas looks towards the house again and sighs.

Lucas: "What am I gonna do Brooke? By helping out a friend in need, I might have screwed up everything else."

Brooke: "You mean your relationship with Kate… Some would say honesty is the best policy, I say what's the harm of keeping something from someone you love, especially when the something could break their heart."

Lucas: "You think I shouldn't tell her?"

Brooke: "I think…you should decide what's best for her. I doubt Jake or Peyton will say anything to anyone about tonight and I won't. So your secret is most likely safe with us."

Lucas: "I need to"

Brooke: "Go brood? Think about it by yourself? Go ahead, at least the rain has stopped."

Lucas nods to Brooke and slowly walks away, burying his hands deep within his trouser pockets. Brooke watches him leave, with a sad look on her face. She then looks to Peyton's house. She takes out her cell phone and dials a number.

: Inside Peyton's House :

Peyton is sitting on the couch, looking at the floor. Jake is standing by the window, looking directly at Peyton.

Jake: "Peyton, look at me."

Peyton: "I can't"

Jake: "Why?"

Peyton looks up at Jake, her eyes start to swell up with tears.

Peyton: "Because, I feel so disgusted with myself."

Jake walks over to Peyton and sits beside her on the couch.

Jake: "I understand why you did it Peyton, but you can't push me away. You were right, I can't leave my family again it'll break their hearts and if I don't stay with you, it'll break mine."

Peyton: "Jake you have to realistic, Nikki is malicious. She will fight you for custody of Jenny, she won't stop, not until she wins. You can't let her do that, you can't afford to her let her do it. You have a family who loves you, you have a beautiful baby daughter who you love with all of your heart. You can't afford an attorney and even if you could the custody battle could last for months, it would wear you down. Don't you see Jake, you have to leave. You have to take Jenny and make a new life for the two of you."

Jake is looking down to the floor, he then looks back up to Peyton. His eyes also swelling now with tears.

Jake: "I told you Peyton, I can't leave you."

Peyton: "I'm having like a huge Titanic moment here and I'm trying my hardest not to laugh because I just keep getting this mental image of Leonardo DiCaprio dying in the water…"

Jake wraps his arms around Peyton and pulls her in closer, they hug. The front door opens and closes. Peyton looks over Jake's shoulder to see her dad walk in and put down his huge backpack. He and Peyton share eye contact before he winks at her and walks into the kitchen. Jake and Peyton separate from the hug.

Jake: "I should go…"

Jake stands up as does Peyton. He takes a step towards the door and then turns back around.

Jake: "I'm gonna talk to the parents, see what they think."

Peyton: "Okay..."

Peyton leans in and kisses Jake. They share a passionate kiss before once again separating. Jake walks over to the front door and opens it. He turns and looks at Peyton again before walking out. Peyton walks out of the living room and into the kitchen where her dad is sitting at the table.

Larry: "Hey, kiddo."

Peyton walks over to her dad and bursts into tears. Larry stands up and hugs her, kissing her on the forehead.

: Outside Kate's House :

The sky has once again filled with the thunderous looking grey clouds. The rain is pouring down, beating against the streets. Lucas is standing outside of Kate's house waiting for her, he is drenched in water. Kate walks up the drive way, in her pair of blue denim jeans and a white thin strapped top. She too is drenched in water. She smirks, walking up to him.

Kate: "Whoa, wet much?"

Lucas: "Yeah, I walked here. Where have you been?"

Kate: "I went down to the basketball court, just shot some hoops. Saw Mouth and Skillz down there, so had a little one on one with Skillz. You know he ain't all that bad. A little bit of work and I think he could challenge you or Nathan to a decent game."

Kate walks closer to Lucas. She rests her hands on his top. She grabs a section of his top and twists, draining the water from it.

Kate: "Why didn't you just knock on the door, I'm sure my grandpa would have let you in."

Lucas: "I know, Whitey isn't in."

Kate walks up to the front door, opening it. She steps inside and turns back around to face Lucas.

Kate: "Well, you coming in?"

Lucas nods, walking towards her. He walks into the house and shuts the door behind him.

Kate: "Come on we need to get out of these wet clothes before we catch a cold."

She walks up closer to him, leaning up and kissing him on the lips. He responds by putting his arms around her waist and pulling her closer to him. Then he breaks the kiss and takes a step back.

Kate: "Lucas, what's wrong?"

Lucas: "I need to tell you something."

Kate looks at him.

Kate: "Shoot."

He looks down to the floor, trying to hide his guilty face. Kate raises an eyebrow after about 30 seconds if silence.

Kate: "Well Are we in a sharing mood yet?"

He looks back up and runs his hands through his hair and then covers his eyes with his hands.

Lucas: "Peyton and I kissed."

Kate looks at him, confused.

Kate: "I- I dunno what I'm suppose to say to this"

Lucas takes his hands away from his eyes and his facial expression turns to one of desperation, his puppy dog eyes growing wider.

Lucas: "It was a stupid, thing. We shouldn't have – I, it's complicated."

Kate: "Complicated? You and your kind of ex girlfriend kissed, yeah I can see how that would be complicated."

Lucas: "It's not like that. She needed my help"

Kate: "Needed your help, like mouth to mouth resuscitation?"

Lucas: "Don't-."

Kate: "Don't what? Don't be mad at you? Don't be angry? What shouldn't I be Lucas? Come on, all knowing one! Tell me, what shouldn't I do?"

Lucas: "Don't look at me like that, just let me explain."

Kate walks over to the door opening it.

Kate: "I'm not listening."

She takes a step back from the door, but her eyes remain focused on it. Lucas walks over to the door, and shuts it. Kate looks up at him, anger in her face.

Lucas: "I'm not leaving, not until you've heard me out…It's, A -. Peyton needed my help. She wanted Jake to leave town, so that everything would be alright for him and Jenny. She wasn't thinking straight, I was helping out a friend who going through a crisis. So she wanted us to kiss, so that Jake could see and then get all raged up and just leave. Although didn't exactly go to plan. Both him and Brooke showed up, and he didn't get mad. He understood. That was it! That's all it was, nothing more."

Kate opens the door again and stands away from it.

Lucas: "Don't shut me out, Kate. If the situation was reversed, I would understand."

Kate smirks and lets out a small laugh.

Kate: "You'd understand? What if I told you that I wasn't at the court tonight that I was at Nathan's. What if I would told you that he was feeling alone and confused over everything in his life, that he needed a shoulder to cry on. That he needed a friend for support and that one thing led to another, and that we kissed because I wanted to be there for him, to comfort him. Would you understand that?"

Lucas is looking down at the floor, his eyes closed. He then looks up at her.

Lucas: "That's, completely different and you know it."

Kate: "Is it?"

They look at one another, neither saying a word. Kate sits down on the bottom of the stairs. Lucas walks over closer to her.

Kate: "This isn't meant to be this hard, Luke. All these different obstacles keep getting in our way. Maybe it's a sign."

Lucas: "A sign of what?"

Kate: "That we're just not meant to be."

Lucas: "I don't believe that."

Kate looks up at him. She stands up and takes a step closer. Lucas takes a step closer to her and hugs her. Leaning down, he kisses her passionately on the lips. She rests her hands on his chest and lightly pushes him away.

Kate looks away, trying to stop the tears from escaping her eyes. Finally she looks back to him, tears rolling down her cheeks.

Lucas: "Kate…I love you."

Kate: "I love you too, Lucas…Now get out."

Lucas reluctantly walks out of the house and just as he takes a step outside Kate shuts the door behind him. He stops turns around and sits down next to the door.

Later

Kate walks over to the window and looks outside, Lucas is still sat next to the door. She looks down, about to cry again. Sighing she closes the curtains. Grabbing her bag, she walks through the house to the back door and walks out, shutting the door very quietly. At that very same moment, Whitey pulls up the driveway in his truck. Getting out he walks over to where Lucas is sat.

Whitey: "Lucas Scott sitting on my door step, well what do I owe this pleasure?"

Lucas looks up at Whitey and doesn't say anything.

Whitey: "Ah I see, women trouble. Well come on boy, don't want you catching cold. Best come in and sort out whatever problems you got with my Katie. Don't want a moody teenage girl walking round the house, moping for the next couple of weeks."

Whitey walks to the front door opening it, Lucas stands up.

Lucas: "She was pretty clear earlier, that she wanted me out."

Whitey: "Nonsense, that's just women for ya."

Whitey walks further into the house and shouts out 'Katie' several times. Yet there is no answer.

Whitey: "You sure she's home?"

Lucas: "I didn't see her leave."

Whitey: "Well no matter what moods she's in, she always answers my call. Why don't you run up stairs and see if she's up there."

Lucas nods; walking into the house he goes up the stairs and knocks on Kate's bedroom door. With no answer, he just walks in. Turning the light on, he sees the room is empty. He takes a walk around her bedroom, stopping at her bedside table looking at picture of the two of them. He picks it up and looks deeply at it.

: The Scott Residence :

There is a knock at the door. Deb answers it to find Kate standing outside. Kate doesn't say anything, but Deb nods letting her in.

Deb: "Nathan, you have a visitor."

Nathan walks down the stairs, half dressed in his basketball shorts and sees Kate. Kate shrugs her shoulders and Nathan nods to her. Kate walks past Deb and follows Nathan up the stairs.

: Lucas's Bedroom:

Lucas is lying on his bed, earphones in his ears while the cd player is on resting on his chest. Haley walks into the bedroom and tilts her head looking at him. Raising an eyebrow she sits down next to him on the bed.

Haley: "Yo Backstreet Boy."

Lucas opens his eyes and then sits up on his bed, resting on his pillows. Pulling out the earphones from his ears, he smirks.

Lucas: "Backstreet boy?"

Haley: "Didn't think you'd hear that, with music blaring in your ears."

Lucas: "I'm not listening to music."

Haley: "Then what's with the earphones?"

Lucas: "Not sure, just put them in to shut the world out."

Haley: "Oo that doesn't sound good. What happened?"

Lucas: "Long story short. Peyton wants Jake to leave to get a happier life for him and Jenny, she figured best way to get Jake all pissed off and ready to hit the road was to kiss me in front of him. Naturally he understands what's going on, and I decided to tell Kate…although when I told her it didn't come out like that, it came out sounding like I was guilty of something."

Haley: "Ooh tough one. I can understand her not understanding, but it's understandable what you did. Wait, was that a grammatically correct sentence."

Lucas: "I got the jist."

Haley: "Maybe this time, honesty wasn't the best policy?"

Lucas: "That's what Brooke said."

Haley: "Whoa, Brooke and I agreeing. That's becoming more and more common. Shock. So, I take it she was mad?"

Lucas: "Brooke?"

Haley: "No, Kate. Stay with me here, I'm decaffeinated."

Lucas: "She wasn't mad, more upset. I don't think that she was really upset about what Peyton and I did, it was like she was using as it as an excuse, she said maybe it wasn't meant to be."

Haley: "Well…she might have a point."

Lucas looks at Haley, somewhat shocked and hurt.

Haley: "I mean look at me and Nathan, everyone thought it was this big romantic epic romance but in the end, it just wasn't meant to be."

Lucas: "That's different."

Haley: "How?"

Lucas: "We're not you and Nathan…Hales, I just don't know what I'm gonna do…she asked me to leave, so I left…to her porch. I waited there til Whitey came home. He let me in, when I went in to talk to her…she wasn't there."

Haley: "Probably popped the window and climbed out of her window, well that or she's Super girl."

Haley smirks leaning in and hugging Lucas. She rests her head against his chest as he rests his chin on the top of her head. They both sigh.

Haley: "I should go, unless you want me to stay?"

Lucas thinks about it and then pulls away.

Lucas: "Nah, I'll be alright but thanks though."

Haley: "For what?"

Lucas: "For being you."

Haley smirks standing up and taking a step away from the bed.

Haley: "Well, I am Wonder-woman."

Lucas raises an eyebrow.

Haley: "Well I called Kate Supergirl and I'm out of ideas of all other heroines. Okay well, try to get some sleep. I'm sure everything will work itself out. Night"

Haley walks to the door and leave. Lucas sighs, lying back down on the bed and putting his earphones back into his ears.

: The Mall :

Brooke and Haley come face to face outside of the mall. The doors are shut.

Haley: "Wait, tell me again why I am at the mall at 8am on a Wednesday morning?"

Brooke: "Because apart from Peyton who is having serious issues with loverboy, you're the only other person I know who has a free period firs thing on a Wednesday morning."

Haley: "Okay that explains why you and I are here together…but not why we had to come so early?"

Brooke: "Are you kidding, for some strange, bizarre reason which I can't explain, the designer shops are like having a 50 sale today and today alone. Therefore if I come after school, all the good outfits, lingerie and other goodies will be gone and I'll be stuck with last seasons "in" things."

Haley: "Grrr, I don't know how you roped me into this."

Brooke: "Because we said we would bond, become all delta sister style friends. What better time to do it than over a sale. I promise if you not having fun before second period starts we'll skip the mall and go straight back to school."

The security guard comes and opens the doors. Brooke walks straight into a shop and starts going through the clothes isle. Haley follows her.

Haley: "So, are Peyton and Jake gonna be alright?"

Brooke: "Probably, Jake doesn't wanna leave Peyton high and dry like most people have. I take it you spoke to Lucas?"

Haley: "Yeah, I went by last night just to see him and I found him lying in his self pity. It was really saddening because I know him and Kate connect on a different level, unlike anyone he's dated before…no offense."

Brooke: "None taken…wait, he told Kate? Man. I told him not to do that, no one was gonna open their mouths about the little infamous lip lock. I take it she kicked his ass to the curb?"

Haley: "I'm not sure, I'm not even sure he knows."

Brooke: "Damn that sucks…Ooh Gucci."

: The Scott Residence :

Nathan walks into his bedroom, with a towel wrapped around his waist having just gotten out of the shower. He sees Kate sat on his bed, fully dressed. He walks over and sits down.

Nathan: "Sleep well?"

Kate: "Yeah, thanks for sharing the bed. Appreciate it."

Nathan: "So, you gonna tell me why you knocked on my door asking to stay the night. I mean I'm not saying I didn't like the company, God knows I like a bed partner, although one that usually elbow me in the ribs."

Kate: "Yeah, well you kept putting your arm in inappropriate places."

Nathan: "Around you waist"

Kate: "Try a couple of inches higher."

Nathan: "My bad, I usually sleep with a pillow beside me. It's comfy, relaxing."

Kate: "So you weren't feeling me up?"

Nathan: "Not intentionally…your spoken for."

Kate: "Maybe, maybe not."

Nathan: "I knew it, what's he done this time?"

Kate: "Nothing and everything. I don't even think it's him, I just feel like I'm stuck in a rut."

Nathan: "Been there, done that…"

Nathan leans over and puts his arm around Kate. After a couple of seconds, Kate pulls back laughing.

Kate: "Eww, your still all wet."

Nathan: "Oh you don't like that huh?"

Nathan starts playfully tickling Kate. As the tickling/flirting continues there is a knock at Nathan's door. Nathan sits back up straight.

Nathan: "Yeah."

The door opens to reveal Lucas. Nathan looks from Kate to Lucas.

Nathan: "I'm gonna go."

Kate: "Nathan, you don't"

Nathan: "Actually I kinda do, gotta get ready for school. See you there?"

Kate nods. Nathan stands up, towel still wrapped around his waist. He walks past Lucas and nods. Kate stands up and picks up her bag. She follows Lucas down the stairs and out of the Scott house. As they make their way down the drive way, Lucas stops in front of Kate.

Lucas: "Are we gonna talk?... I'll walk you to school."

Kate: "I've gotta go home, shower, change. Get my books…I have a free period."

Lucas: "I'll walk you home…"

Kate: "Don't you have a class?"

Lucas: "Yeah, so I'll skip it."

Kate: "We'll talk later, I promise."

Lucas: "Okay."

Lucas takes a step in closer to her as he leans in to kiss her on the lips, she tilts her head so he kisses her cheek. He nods, turns and starts to walk away.

Kate: "Lucas…"

Lucas turns around and looks at her, like a little lost/hurt puppy dog. She walks up to him and slowly leans in, kissing him on the lips.

Kate: "We'll talk later."

Kate smiles and turns walking away. Lucas watches her go, not looking happy or sad. He puts his hands in his pockets and starts to walk. Nathan is watching from his bedroom window.

Later

Brooke: "You know I'm really glad you decided to join me on this little shopping spree."

Haley: "How could I resist? You put my arm behind my back and practically forced me."

They walk out of the shop, Brooke carrying about six bags in each hand. Haley carrying two bags.

Brooke: "Right. Well, your having fun though."

Haley: "Surprisingly I am, although you didn't have to buy my that skirt."

Brooke: "It was 50 off and you looked hot in it. Besides, this way I have unlimited borrowing rights."

Haley laughs. Brooke smirks.

Brooke: "This was fun, I like hanging out with you tutor girl. We should do it again, maybe not shopping but something else."

Haley: "Yeah…Ooh I we should start heading back to school."

Brooke: "Aww, just as well I guess. I think I burned a hole in my daddies credit card."

Brooke and Haley continue walking to the mall exit.

Next On One Tree Hill

Nathan is sitting with Kate in the school courtyard, they are eating lunch. Lucas is watching them. Brooke and Haley approach.

Haley: "Spoke to her yet?"

Lucas: "No, not technically."

Brooke: "Shouldn't have told her."

Lucas: "Honesty is always best with people you love."

Brooke looks a little hurt. Haley looks at her.

Brooke: "Really, I thought lying was your trait, we all know how good you are at that."

Brooke walks away.

Brooke is standing in the hallway. Lucas walks up to her.

Lucas: "Sorry."

Brooke: "No my fault, just a little PMT I guess. Its just when you honesty was the best policy with the people you love, it hit me...you weren't in love with me."

Lucas: "I-"

Brooke: "No need to explain."

A tear falls down Brooke's cheek, Lucas leans in and hugs her kissing her on the forehead. Standing at the opposite end of the corridor is Kate.

Everyone is at the basketball court, watching Lucas and Kate who are standing to the side yelling at one another.

Kate: "Oh my god, you just don't get it do you? You don't understand how it feels, well how about I show you"

Kate walks away from Lucas and up to Nathan, kissing him passionately.