Okay, sorry if took me a little longer to update this story, I guess I just got a little preoccupied...

So anyway... originally, I planned on making this story with only 4 parts, but then look at me now... already on the 5th chapter, and not planning to end this anytime really soon! hahaha:) Don't worry, it won't be too long:)

I know you guys are really anxious to see some Brucas love, but I don't want to go there yet, I don't want to make this story a fluff, I want it to mean somthing. hehehe. But I do promise you, there will be so stay tuned!

So anyway... here's the next chapter to my story, hope you enjoy it... and please review! I need to know what you think so that I can fix my writing and try to make this story better for all of you. So there... enjoy:)

"Are you sure you're okay? What happened, Peyt? Did you guys have a fight or something?"

Jake was taken back when he was caught off-guard by one of Peyton's hugs. Sure he didn't expect it, but he couldn't deny that he loved it. He always did love her, even when he knew she was in love with someone else. His thoughts were interrupted when he realized that his shirt was starting to get wet because she was now sobbing on his chest. He ran his hands up and down her back trying to comfort her, he knew that that always worked, well at least it used to.

She felt herself calm down a bit and made herself more comfortable in his arms.

'He always knows what to do.' She thought to herself.

She could sense Jake's concern about her, if not as a lover, but at least as a friend. She loved him for that, she always had. Probably in fact, if it weren't for Lucas, maybe she would still be with him and Jenny. He always looked out for her even when he knew that she was in love with someone else. When she thought about it actually, if Jake never told her that she said she loved Lucas in her sleep, she wouldn't have realized that she did. Maybe her feelings for Lucas never left, but that didn't mean that she didn't love him. Heck, she even proposed for them to get married!

'What went wrong?' this was the question that kept running through both their minds, but what they were both unaware of was that this wasn't the question they should be asking right now. Instead they should be asking how the heck they were going to fix things and make them better, for all of them.

"Peyt, what happened? Come on, you know you can tell me anything."

"I'm just trying to fix things; this is how it's supposed to be."

"I don't understand Peyt."

"I've been selfish, to Lucas, to Brooke, and even to you. All this time I kept telling myself that people always leave, but the truth is, they don't, I just don't try to look for them. They don't leave, I just push them away. Even when I pushed them away, they were still there, but I never even appreciated them. Like you Jake, when you left, it was because you couldn't come back because if you did, it would only put Jenny at stake, but for the longest time I could have easily gone and find you, but it took me a long while before I did. When I finally did go, it ended up with me saying that I loved Lucas after I just asked you to marry me! How much of a bitch could I have been? But still, after everything, you're still here just waiting for a chance to help me with whatever I need. Why Jake? After everything that happened between me and Brooke, why is she still my best friend? Why was Lucas with me when he could have had Brooke? Why do you guys keep coming back everything I put you through? Why?!"

"Because you're my friend Peyt. No matter how hurt I get, I'll always try to be here for you. If this is what makes you happy, I'll always support you. Now for Brooke, you do know she loves you, right? She may act like she doesn't but deep down I know she still does. I'm not sure if I'm the one who should tell you this but Brooke still loves Lucas, I'm pretty sure. As for Lucas, though i'm not sure if he feels the same, I know he truly cares for her, but he's with you. He chose to be with you Peyt. Brooke let you be together even when it killed her. We all know she did this not for Lucas, but for you. They both love you Peyton, we all do. That's why."

Peyton gave a small nod, and even if Jake couldn't see it, he knew that she was smiling. It may not have been a huge one, but it meant all the same nonetheless. By this time, the tears have stopped falling, but her eyes were still a little wet but not of sadness, more of happiness and fulfillment. There was a short moment of silence, but was interrupted by a short whisper that came from Peyton's lips.

"I know, that's why I let him go."

"Hey, what's wrong Brooke? You look like something's bothering you."

When Brooke entered her room, she could clearly see that something was wrong with her. She didn't look like her cheery old self, but then again, she hadn't been for a while, but still, it tonight, she could definitely tell that something was up. She looked like she hadn't had any sleep and from the looks of it, it was because instead of sleeping, all she did was crying.

She rushed towards the bed and sat right beside Peyton.

"I'm still in love with him. I'm sorry Peyton, I've tried, but I just can't!" Tears were now falling helplessly from her eyes. She tried, she really did, more than other people might have known, but whatever she did, she just couldn't. She really hoped that Peyton would understand, especially since she also has been in this situation.

Peyton just sat there in shock. No words escaped her lips. Brooke couldn't tell what she was thinking and she needed to know.

"Peyt, please say something." She reached over to hold her hand but Peyton quickly pulled her hand away before they could even touch.

"No! Don't touch me!" She stood up and started backing away from Brooke.

"I'm sorry Peyt, I thought you'd understand."

"Understand? Brooke, when I admitted to you that I loved him, you moved out of the house, slapped me in the face, and eventually blocked me out of your life, and you expect me to be cool about this? You gave me such a hard time and made me resent the feelings that I had for him at then, and now, you expect me to understand you, when you never even tried to understand me?"

She paused for a while, waiting to get a word, or at least a reaction, any reaction from Brooke, but she just sat there with her face looking towards the floor with tears running down her cheeks. When she realized that Brooke wasn't planning to say anything, she decided to continue.

"The times when I needed you most, you weren't there! You threatened to keep Lucas away from me when you knew that he was the only one that I could hold on to! You kept shoving up my ass that I ruined our friendship, when it was you who destroyed it way before Lucas even came into the picture! You are a selfish bitch Brooke! You expect everyone to understand you and wait on you. You never think of anybody else! You were never my friend!"

Peyton was caught off guard when Brooke's hand suddenly slapped right across her cheek not even a second after she finished her last statement.

"How dare you! How dare you tell me that Peyton?"

Brooke's eyes that just moments ago were filled with tears of loneliness and guilt was now replaced with eyes filled with anger and disappointment.

"After everything we've been through, this is what you think of me?"

Peyton honestly didn't know what came over her when she said that. She didn't know why she just snapped like that at Brooke, she also couldn't honestly deny that this was truly how she felt about her for a while now. She caressed her cheek which was now burning from the contact it just had with Brooke's hand, but she couldn't look into her friend's angry eyes. She felt guilty that she said that to her. She has forgotten the things they've been through. She focused more on her own losses and didn't think of Brooke's. Maybe she was the selfish bitch, not Brooke, but she wasn't ready to admit that yet not even to herself.

"I gave up so much to keep this friendship! I was happy for you, even when I was dying inside! I had to see you together and forced myself to look ok to you even when it was killing me inside. I decided to tell you about how I felt because I didn't want you to get hurt like I did when it happened to me! Even when you decided to hurt me and cheat with Lucas, I forgave you. I never fully trusted you, but I did my best to do so. Even when a lot of things you do hurt me more than you can ever imagine, I always forgive you in the end. I always put you over him, even when it didn't seem that way. I gave you the one person whom I truly loved. I gave up my own happiness for you. During the times when I and he were still together and you thought that I wasn't there for you, he was still beside you, but did you ever think why? Despite your history and my jealousy, I let him be there for you. I never stopped him, even when I wanted to because I knew that I couldn't let you go through those alone. I may not have been there, but that didn't mean I didn't care. I gave up Lucas for you, Lucas who meant everything to me! So you have no right to tell me that I was never a friend to you!"

"I never asked you to give him up."

"I know you didn't, and I love you for that, but I still did because I wanted you to be happy. I put through all the pain for you, because I know you did, and would do the same."

She could see the guilt in Peyton's eyes even if they never came in contact with her own. She never meant to rub it in her face, but of all the things, she knew she had been a good friend especially to her.

"I didn't tell you that I still loved him because I'm asking you to give him up for me, that's the last thing I want in my mind right now. I told you that because you deserved to know and I needed a friend to help me with what I am going through right now. If you can't forgive me for that, then I won't force you. I'm tired and lonely, and I just needed a friend, but I guess I came to the wrong person then?"

With that, she picked up her bag which was resting on the Peyton's bedroom floor and rushed right out the door leaving a very confused Peyton behind.

"I let him go Jake. Everybody deserves to be happy. And when I mean everybody, I mean, everybody. I just think that its time that things are set into place."

"But what about you? I thought he made you happy? Doesn't everybody include you?"

"That's why I'm here Jake, with you."

Coming up on the next episode of "In The End"

-Letters are found

-What happened to Chase in this story?

-Can Luke finally realize once and for all how he truly feels for Brooke?

All that and more on the next episode of "In The End." :) Stay tuned!

So apprently, Jake and Peyton are back in business which means there is no chance for Pucas to get back together! Hurah! hahaha:) So anyway... wished you enjoyed this chapter... hopefully I can update soon! Please review! Thanks a lot:)