Author's Notes: The affair continues.

(OTH day was Monday…Happy Belated OTH day! 10 YEARS!)

Disclaimer: Me no own OTH. Title is a line in the song I Slept With Someone in Fall Out Boy And All I Got Was This Stupid Song Written About Me by Fall Out Boy

Under Cover of Darkness

..

Chapter Five: My Conscience Called In Sick Again

Haley watches as Brooke retrieves two ice packs from the freezer. The brunette turns around catching Haley's gaze and sighs out. "You know that was incredibly stupid right?"

Haley gives her a look. "Didn't I just get frightened by my closest guy friend defending you?" This time Brooke gives Haley a look, calling her bluff, knowing that her and Lucas aren't anywhere near as close as they used to be.

Haley shrugs. "It was worth a try."

Brooke tapes one of the ice packs to Haley's hand and places the other gently over her eye. "Why don't you tell me what happened. Don't leave anything out."

"Well Peyton already let the cat out of the bag, Brooke. There's nothing to tell."

"Peyton." Brooke whispers.

"Why the hell is she here?" Haley snarls. "You better give me a reason this time Luke. A good one or I swear to god you'll regret it."

"Nice to see you too Haley Bob." Peyton taunts, her blonde curls bouncing as she tilts her head. She turns her attention to Brooke. "B. Davis – you look good. A little on the boney side which wasn't what I was expecting since you did, in fact, get yourself knocked up. But I guess being as superficial as you are, you were bound to drop the baby weight sooner or later. Can't say the same for you Haley."

"Wow," Brooke says astonished, missing the look of pure hatred on Haley's face and the menacing step she takes towards the blonde.

The girl who once used to be her best friend was standing right in front of her, after five years. Brooke had been ready to hug the life out of the blonde, tell her over and over again how much she had missed her.

Then, then she opened her mouth. And Brooke feels like she doesn't recognize her at all. She takes a deep breath and admits, "I was actually just about to tell you how good it is to see you."

"And I'm guessing that would've been a lie. Considering the fact that you did betray us all. Right Luke?"

The blonde in question ignores them all as he stalks his way upstairs. They hear the bedroom door slam a few seconds later.

"I guess that's my cue." Peyton laughs as she moves to follow. "Oh Haley, I almost forgot." she turns back to the three that remain, focusing her gaze on the honey blonde. "Have you talked to Jake recently? I would myself but the last time that happened we weren't exactly fully clothed, if you catch my drift."

Brooke's mouth drops open at this reveal.

Peyton and Jake.

Haley and Jake then…Peyton and Jake.

Brooke shudders at the thought and fights back vomit. She turns to her friend to immediately offer her support until she notices Haley is no longer standing beside her. She's too late to stop it because Haley already has Peyton on the floor from the force of the punch she hit her with.

She's stunned to silence and inactivity as she watches her two friends wrestle on the floor. Punches are being thrown from face to face. By the time she finds the strength to move, Peyton has Haley on her back now and when she sends a punch to her face, Brooke moves her feet.

Haley cries out and frantically pulls at Peyton's curls with her right hand. Her left leaves scratch marks all over the blonde's face.

Brooke yanks on Peyton's arm twice before she finally pulls her off. She sends her flying into Nathan. "Deal with her." she orders and helps Haley off the floor.

"Why didn't you tell me Peyton slept with Jake?"

Haley sighs and looks down. "It's not exactly something I was proud of." She pauses to shift the ice pack. "Jake was my boyfriend. I had our entire future planned out. I thought we'd be together forever. Peyton ruined that all in one night."

"How did you find out?"

"I… uh I walked in on them."

Brooke runs a hand through her hair. "Oh Haley. This happened the day I…"

"Yeah." Haley whispers. "Jake confirmed it when I went to visit him too…"

Brooke shakes her head in disbelief. "Did Jake ever say why… did he ever give you an explanation?"

Haley laughs dryly and stares up at the ceiling. "He said he was high." She returns her gaze to Brooke's. "Our entire relationship – ruined, all because he smoked one too many."

She hops out of her chair and begins to pace the floor. "Why is she here?" she says through gritted teeth. "Why did he bring her here? To torture you, to torture me? What is his game plan?"

"I don't know, Hales." Brooke softly responds. "The only person he really talks to is Nathan and even then I doubt he tells him everything." Brooke lets out a long sigh. "What prison did Jake get sent to?"

Haley shrugs. "Somewhere out of state. I last talked to him the day before they moved him." She sets down the ice pack on her face and readjusts the one on her hand.

"I wonder which one Peyton got sent to."

Haley's eyebrows crinkle together. "I don't think she got sent to one."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean she showed up at my house about two years ago looking real troubled. I let her stay with me for the night when I shouldn't have spared her slutty ass a second gaze, and then in the morning she was gone. She never really gave anything away as to what happened to her just showed up and left. And I doubt she's an escaped convict." Haley laughs a little. "I don't know where she was or what exactly happened to her in the five years Lucas was away but what I do know is that she's definitely keeping something from us."

She looks out the window, staring at nothing but trees and more trees that seem to extend forever. "I can feel it."

…

…

When Brooke gets a moment alone in the humungous house she feels is rapidly getting smaller, her mind sometimes wanders to dangerous territories. And she lets it. Sometimes it's Lucas. Most times it's their son.

Sometimes it's all her mistakes. Most times it's Tree Hill. Memories of a place where she experienced everything a kid goes through in life. The place where she met all her friends – Lucas. The place where she got pregnant and the last place she remembers being happy.

Happiness.

The one emotion she hasn't felt in so long, most nights she spectacles if she's capable of feeling it ever again. She never knew true happiness until she met Lucas. She never experienced a true family until she unknowingly formed one with her, high school friends.

She laughs to herself as she thinks of the irony. High school was said to be the worst four years of your life. Yet, she can only see it as a time she wishes to go back to because of how truly happy she was then. Because of the fact that she met her true family there, in high school. The worst four years of her life.

Haley comes in a second later and Brooke pretends to already be asleep. She doesn't want to talk about what happened today, or the Fernando thing. She's positive Haley won't leave it alone until they work something out that she agrees with, and Brooke loves that about her. But tonight, she wants to be alone with her thoughts. She can't handle any girl talk.

Apparently, it works because Haley lies down in the bed without a word. Brooke thinks she must be drained from the day's events as well. She soon hears her breath start to even out and that's when she knows she's asleep.

Her eyes still won't close though. Her mind is reeling with thoughts and memories that she just can't shake.

These past five years have been anything but easy on her. There are still things that she has yet to tell anyone. Secrets she doesn't exactly want to take to the grave because she wants this all to be over. She wants her life to be some semblance of normal and there's a small nagging feeling in the back of her mind that says it'll never happen.

Sitting up in the bed, she makes sure Haley is still asleep before getting out. She gets a read on the dimly lit clock and sees it's a little past four in the morning. The hallway is dark and quiet and she just barely dodges stepping on a roach. She wonders briefly where Peyton is sleeping before venturing downstairs.

Grabbing her jacket from the closet, Brooke disables the alarm for the door with no problem and ventures outside. Once out, she takes a look around and is surprised that she doesn't feel scared. It's dark – pitch black actually. Yet, her breathing stays calm and collected.

But her mind is anything but.

She walks farther into the woods. This time, she stops to take in her surroundings. There is nothing but complete darkness all around her.

Darkness and a bunch of trees that she desperately just wants to chop down.

She checks herself once again and is still not feeling anything remotely close to terror. Her hands feel around for a nearby tree and she slides down the stump, resting on her backside in the dirt. Reaching into her pocket, she pulls out the small portable cell phone and dials the familiar number.

"Is he safe?" she says after a beat. Waiting patiently for the response, her eyes adjust to the darkness and focus on a nearby squirrel burying food. The squirrel stashes its supply then, it seems, looks up in suspicion. "Ok. Keep me posted. I call you, you don't call me. Remember that." The squirrel scurries away to another squirrel and she watches as they seem to have a conversation of sorts. "Tell him that I love him."

A nearby branch snaps in half and Brooke slams the phone shut. The squirrels waste no time in running away and she envies them. Using the tree as a weight, she breaks the phone in half and stuffs it into the ground. Another branch cracks and her breathing gets slightly erratic. Her hands shake as she attempts to cover the broken phone with dirt and leaves.

She hears footsteps and more branches crack in half. She huddles against the tree and looks around her but she can't see anything. Then the footsteps stop, and so does her heart.

She waits in silence but she hears nothing.

Suddenly, she's lurched to her feet and slammed against a hard chest. An arm goes around her neck and she lets out a high pitched squeak as she struggles for air. She elbows the body in the chest but that elicits no response and she curses herself for being so weak. She can feel herself getting lightheaded, her wind pipes not getting the sufficient air. Her eyes get hazy and the darkness surrounding her somehow becomes even darker. Her hand goes back and locks onto a head of hair. The hair is short, but she pulls as hard as she can nonetheless and hears a groan. The grip on her neck loosens and she falls to the ground, coughing hard.

She hears a gun cock and looks up to see one pointing in her face. She holds her breath and waits. And then…

"Brooke?"

She stands up, recognizing the voice right away. "Lucas?"

…

…

Lucas storms into the house, dragging Brooke in by her arm. He slams the door closed and gets in her face. "What the hell were you thinking going out there? You could've been killed. I could've killed you!"

Brooke snatches her arm away and folds them over her chest, still breathing heavy from the lack of oxygen. "You were the one who said this place was completely isolated."

Lucas grits his teeth. "There is always the chance that something could go wrong. And you being outside at four a.m. isn't exactly smart. I thought you were an intruder!" He takes a deep breath and glowers at the stubborn brunette in front of him. "You don't go outside without my permission."

"You can't tell me what to do–"

"This is my house, Brooke!" he spits her name out in distaste and she flinches at his tone. "You follow my rules, and let me tell you, my patience is wearing thin with your shit. One more slip-up…" he threatens. " –and I'm done with you."

Brooke stays silent and never breaks his stare.

"I mean it." He adds, his eyes red with anger. "You won't ever get to see him. I can guarantee you that, you keep fucking with me."

He stalks up the stairs and Brooke is left alone in the living room. She plops down on the sofa and rubs her neck, still trying to catch her breath.

Lucas' words won't leave her mind. Her body is left shaken from the anger that was in his tone, his eyes. Lately his temper has been doing this to her – leaving her breathless, frightened, shaken up. He never used to be this easy to upset. Of course he had a temper over things that were buried deep within him, like Dan, but the Lucas back then could barely hurt a fly. And smiled a lot, Brooke remembers.

Now it seems as if the only face he wore was a frown. A scowl.

It's hard to believe that she did the right thing back then if by doing it she caused this huge change in Lucas. And Nathan.

Her thoughts are startled by a noise coming from the kitchen and she assumes Haley is probably starting breakfast. Her eyebrows crinkle for a minute as she realizes it's way too early. Yet, she gets up anyway. Although she hasn't slept a wink, she thinks some food in her stomach will be good. Walking in, she's met with another blonde.

"You know, you two sounded like a really screwed up married couple. The kind where the husband beats the wife."

Peyton sits on a chair at the kitchen table eating pancakes and eggs. Her face is marked with red scratches and she has a terrible black eye. Yet, she still manages to look condescending. She smiles at Brooke. "Don't worry, since I know you're a fat girl at heart, I made some for you too."

But Brooke pays no attention to her words or her face. Or the fact that it's barely five in the morning and she's already eating breakfast. It's the blonde's wardrobe that catches her attention. She wears only a white button down shirt, one that Brooke could easily recognize had it been a dog wearing it.

Yesterday, Peyton went to follow Lucas after he went upstairs. "I guess that's my cue…" Brooke remembers.

Her eyes narrow as she stares at the blonde. "You're sleeping with Lucas." she states, almost in a daze.

Peyton laughs. Brooke has the urge to punch her. "Oh that. Right well, Lucas hasn't gotten any in five years. And I doubt he settled for prison sex." She lights a cigarette and observes Brooke over the smoke. "Don't tell me old, insecure Brooke is bubbling to the surface."

"Old, insecure Brooke most likely would've punched you by now." Brooke walks over to the fridge and manages to squash the jealousy she feels. "Do whatever you want with him."

Peyton's eyes light up. "So, you're actually giving me permission to go down on him? Because he won't let me and it made me think that it was some kind of sacred bond between you two, but if you're okay with it, I can go tell him the good news."

Brooke scoffs at Peyton's sarcasm and pulls out a soda. "What happened to you in the last five years?"

"What?"

"I said what happened to you?" she repeats. "It can't be just because of what I did because I know you Peyton, and I know that would not have been an issue."

Peyton drops her fork and takes a long drag from her cigarette. "Is that your best attempt at an apology?"

"I have no reason to apologize."

"Do I need to give a recap of what happened back then?"

"I was doing what was best for my son." Brooke tries to state firmly but it comes out feeble. She hates that Peyton notices.

"Who you trying to convince, me or you?" Peyton chuckles. "You really think you're a good mom, huh?"

"No Peyton, I don't know anything about being a mom!" the brunette exclaims in frustration.

"Then how do you know what was best?"

Brooke kinks an eyebrow. "Right, because it's logical to let a baby grow up surrounded by drugs and smoke." she scoffs. "Get real Peyton."

Peyton just shrugs and goes back to eating.

"Why are you here?" Brooke demands. "Are you just here to fuck Lucas or do you actually have a purpose? Are you just his slut on call?"

Peyton continues eating in silence. Brooke scoffs and starts to leave. "Your mother would be so proud."

This gets the blonde's attention as her head snaps up from her plate and she glares at Brooke. "What?" she grits out.

"Your mother Peyton!" Brooke yells. "Or should I say 'mothers'." Peyton's eyes turn to stone, daring Brooke to go on. She does. "Ellie and Anna – if they could see you right now…"

Peyton gets up from the table. "Don't even go there Brooke!"

"Why not?" the brunette questions. "You've been taking digs at me ever since you got here and you've barely been here a day."

"Considering what you were preaching a minute ago, thought you were turning over a new leaf."

Brooke scoffs. "Like you actually believe what you're saying."

"You're right." Peyton shrugs. "You know as well as I do no matter how hard a person wants to change, you're still who you were on the inside. You always will be. Still as screwed up as the day you were born."

Brooke shakes her head. Peyton was never this jaded as a child. She may have been close, but she had gotten better as time went on.

"What happened to you Peyt? Why are you like this?"

"If you think about it I'm not that different from how I was. I mean for example, I'm sleeping with Lucas, like I should've done all those years ago back in high school. Like I wanted to do."

Brooke swallows. "Okay, but the Peyton back then also cared about her friends, had a fucking heart. What happened to her?"

Peyton doesn't answer and the two once best friends stare at each other in silence, one trying to figure out the other.

…

…

Lucas wakes up to the sound of a lighter. It still amazes him how much of a light sleeper he is these days – eyes fluttering at the lightest movement. He had woken up five times in the night just to the light buzzing of a small mosquito, which most adults can't hear. Plus the footsteps he had heard outside …Brooke's footsteps.

Thinking back to his time in jail, you had to always be alert, on the watch. You never knew who would try something in the night. The guards were as crooked as the cons, and would do anything – bend the rules – for some cash. You had to watch your back because no matter how many "friends" you made, it really was every man for himself.

He looks over to see Peyton sitting on the foot of his bed smoking. "Time…" he utters out.

"6:32." she replies as she flops on her stomach and hands him the cigarette. He takes a long drag and right after he releases, she plants her lips on his. The kiss is bleak and lackluster. The cigarette taste passes between both of their mouths and Lucas has the faintest urge to purge.

He pulls away after a while and lays back, the cigarette going back to his lips in seconds. Peyton moves to lay beside him.

"You know," she pipes up after a minute of silence. "it's a disgusting habit."

She goes to take it back but Lucas resists. "Get your own."

"I did." She says rolling her eyes. "Anyway, I made breakfast if you want some. Brooke probably ate it all though." she chuckles.

"Brooke?" Lucas grumbles, cigarette half hanging out of his mouth.

"Oh yeah. I was awake before you got up and I needed something to do." She shrugs.

Lucas leans up on his elbows. "You know it was like barely 5 a.m. when I got up."

Peyton just shrugs again. "Early riser."

He knows she's lying. "You've never been a morning person."

She gives him a look and steals back the cigarette. "I've gotten used to waking up early over the years."

"Bull shit. Peyton you know you can tell me–"

"I'd rather not."

"Peyton." Lucas says roughly.

"Lucas."

"Fine." He grumbles, moving to the side of the bed to sit up.

Peyton watches him and sighs to herself. "So…" she says trying to get back to the place they were a minute ago. "You told me about the trade, but are you really gonna do it?"

Lucas pulls on a t-shirt. "Well that's a stupid question."

"No it's not."

"Yes it is!" he snaps causing Peyton to jump.

He doesn't wait for her response or even give her time to do it as he walks out of the room.

It's 7:00 when he comes back, freshly showered and Peyton still hasn't moved an inch. "You have your own room, you know." he grumbles.

She scowls. "You didn't seem to have a problem with me in here last night."

"That was just to fuck Peyton. Don't try to make this into something it's not. We both know we're never going there again."

Her gaze hardens. She rips off his shirt and throws it in his face before marching out of the room stark-naked. Lucas arches an eyebrow then chuckles to himself as he tosses the shirt in the hamper.

He catches sight of his gun on the dresser. He holds it in his hand for a while, getting a feel for it and mentally preparing himself. "Today's the day…" he whispers.

…

…

"What are you doing?"

Brooke looks up to see Haley standing in the doorway of the closet she's currently in.

"Hey."

"Hey… I repeat, what are you doing?"

Brooke shrugs. "I just needed some alone time, time to think."

"So you picked the closet?"

"It was the only place where I could really be alone."

"You didn't get all weird?" Haley says bluntly, referring to Brooke's slight claustrophobia.

"Nope, surprisingly not. I guess when you really want something…"

Haley laughs. "You couldn't have just taken a quiet walk through the forest? We've got trees and trees for days out here. I heard they can help when you're in a pensive mood."

Brooke crinkles her eyebrows but laughs despite herself because it's Haley. "Well, apparently I'm not allowed to go outside without permission from the warden."

"What?"

"Yeah… I took a walk at like 4 a.m. and then Lucas came out and got his panties all in a bunch about me being outside by myself."

Haley smiles. "See? He does still care about you." she squeals.

Brooke only rolls her eyes and grumbles barely audibly, "Whatever." But Haley ignores her.

"Before you know it, you guys will be making another mini-Luke!"

Brooke glares at her longtime friend. She loves Haley, she really does. But sometimes, she doesn't think the world would care if they couldn't exactly find her body for a few days.

"I'm going downstairs." She announces as she gets up from the floor. Unfortunately, Haley follows.

Brooke stops on the last step and her eyes get wide as she takes in the scene before her. "What's going on?" she demands.

Guns. There are guns everywhere – all different sizes. Brooke doesn't even want to think about what the biggest one can do. Lucas and Nathan are packing a bunch of them into two bags. Long ones, small ones…some weapons she didn't even know existed – all here.

Peyton stands leaning on the side of the wall. "Apparently today's the day." she says in fake excitement.

"We weren't asking you." Haley grumbles under her breath, obviously still ticked off at the blonde.

"I'm sorry what was that?" Peyton counters

Brooke groans. "So not the time to get into a girl fight." she turns to the boys once more. "What is going on?"

"You heard the lady," Lucas responds. "Today's the day."

It takes less than a second for it to click in Brooke's head. "Lucas..."

"Peyton get your gun." He says, completely ignoring the brunette.

"Wait!" Haley jumps in. "Peyton's going? What about me? How come I wasn't informed of this?"

"You can stay here with Brooke since you two are so chummy."

Brooke points at Peyton. "She is not going near my son!"

"Don't worry Brooke, it's not like I'll strangle him."

Lucas walks into the kitchen and Brooke immediately follows. "What the hell do you need all those guns for?" she demands.

"I'm always prepared." He replies as he pulls out a knife from a drawer. Brooke's eyes go wide.

"Lucas, you promised you wouldn't hurt the lady I left him with!"

"I don't know what I'm up against, Brooke." There goes the spit of her name again. "I never give anyone a chance to catch me off guard."

Brooke rolls her eyes. "One lady and a little boy. Yeah, they can do you much harm."

"Have you seen them since you handed him over?"

"No."

He takes out more knives, each being bigger than the last. "Then you don't know what's happened in the last five years, what this supposed nice lady could've done in that time." he says dryly.

"I wouldn't have left him with someone I didn't trust." she states incredulously.

"Right and I'm just supposed to take your word for it because your decisions as of late have been so smart." Lucas nods his head and stares into her eyes with sarcasm.

Brooke opens her mouth to respond then closes it, realizing she won't get anywhere. She never will.

He turns away from her then and continues getting more knives before hitting the stack with his palm, making them slide across the counter and hit the wall.

"Damn it Brooke." he mutters, his palms flat against the counter.

He doesn't look at her as he gathers the knives, doesn't even acknowledge her as he walks back to the living room.

"Time to head out." he informs them.

"You know what?" Haley jumps in.

"Please tell us what. We'd all love to hear what you have to say."

Haley ignores Peyton and continues talking. "I'm not gonna take this. Brooke and I are not just gonna stay here! You're all being selfish assholes!"

Brooke sighs. "Haley…"

"No! They're being wrong. Lucas is being wrong."

"Haley." Lucas' deep voice cuts in. "You both will stay in this fucking house and I don't wanna hear another damn word about it." He grabs some bags and slings them over his shoulder. "We'll be back in a week."

"A week?" Haley yells and throws her arms up. "What the hell?" she turns to Brooke. "How can you be so fucking calm about this? Why aren't you fighting this?"

Brooke exhales in frustration as the boys walk out of the door and Peyton follows suit. The house is silent as the door slams shut.

"I can't believe him." Haley paces the living room floor. "I cannot believe him."

Brooke arches an eyebrow and scoffs. "Did you really expect him to change his mind?"

"Yes. No... –I don't know! The old Lucas has to be in there somewhere, right? He couldn't have really become this bitter. Oh goodness, he irritates me to no end! He needs to realize you did the right thing!"

"Calm down Haley." Brooke whispers, causing the blonde to look at her in disbelief.

"Calm down? Brooke this is your son we are talking about. How can you be calm about this? How can you tell me to be calm about this?"

Brooke stands and puts both hands on Haley's shoulder, effectively stopping the blonde from anymore pacing. "Hales, he's not gonna find him."

Haley's blinks at her, confused. "What? What are you talking about? He has the location."

Brooke bites her lip in contemplation and curses the fact that Haley knows her so well as she watches the shorter girl's eye go wide.

"Oh shit. What do you know?"

Thank you all so much for the reviews! I don't want any of you to think I'm ungrateful. I appreciate them the most. But writing while you have school and so many other things to do is just so hard. I never realized how hard it would be when I joined FF. This doesn't mean I'm leaving or taking a long ass hiatus. It's just really hard. But I could never quit writing even if I wanted to.

Just a huge thank you to everyone who takes the time out of their day to write a review. Btw - working on a oneshot, should be up in about a month or so...maybe shorter.