AN: for the sake of the story I've changed Haley's time away to one month instead of three. Also, for the sake of the story lets pretend that everything I say when it comes to basketball is true.

Chapter 7

Sitting by the counter at the Cloth Over Bros, Brooke was so absorbed in her fashion sketches that she didn't notice someone come in, until they were right in front of her, and she was jumping in the air holding her hands to her heart.

"PEYTON!" she yelped.

Laughing Peyton tried to apologize but failed miserably when she couldn't stop laughing.

"Stop laughing! It's not funny!" Brooke whined.

"OH MY GOD Brooke! You should've seen your face!" Peyton said after getting a hold of her laughter.

"Whatever Blondie is there a reason you're here or did you just want to scare me to death?" She asked irritably.

"No there is a really, really good reason." Peyton said gleefully.

"Oh? Did you get laid?"

Ignoring Brooke's question Peyton went on "You'll never guess what I found!"

"Oh yea! What's that a heart?" asked Brooke sarcastically.

"I am being serious here Brooke!" exclaimed Peyton, starting to get annoyed.

"Okay fine! What did you find out Peyton?" asked Brooke with mock seriousness.

"I my dear old friend found out exactly where Nathan is staying in Tree Hill." She said excitedly.

"WHAT?" exclaimed Brooke starting to get excited herself.

Brooke's mind was going a mile a minute. Everything she has wanted to say to him for six years was going through her mind. Every little word. From when he left, to when Haley went into labor, to Mica's first birthday, all the way to when Haley told her he was back.

"Yup, since Haley told me that he was back last night I've wanted to see him you know?" Brooke nodded. "So anyway I called a few people who owed me and turns out he's staying at The Plaza."

"SWEET! So what do you think we should do?" she asked curiously.

"We should go see him! I have a few things I've been holding in for about six years!" Peyton smirked with a mischievous glint in her eyes.

"I agree! Let's go NOW!" Brooke said while grabbing her purse. "MILLIE I AM LEAVING!" after hearing a faint okay from the back, Brooke grabbed Peyton's hand and headed towards the door.

Talking on the phone, Nathan felt himself getting more and more irritated by the minute. He has been on the phone with Clay for the past half hour. Clay has been trying to get Nathan to tell him exactly where he was. But Nathan wouldn't budge.

"CLAY! WHAT THE HELL DOES IT MATTER WHERE I AM?" Nathan yelled into the phone.

"Look man, I am your agent I have to know exactly where you are and what you're doing at all times!" was Clay's curt response.

"Okay fine! You really want to know?" he asked finally giving in.

"Yes Nathan that would be nice." Clay replied sarcastically

"Yes well, I am currently visiting my wife and son in Tree Hill" He replied in a tone that insinuated that it wasn't a big deal.

"Ha ha very funny! I am being serious here, Nathan."

"Clay! I am honest to God trying to see my wife and son."

"Oh shit! your not kidding are you?"

"Nope."

Clay couldn't believe this! He's been Nathan's agent for four years and not once has he heard about a wife and son.

He knew Nathan was well reserved. But he thought he had known him well enough to know whether or not he was married and has a son. Sure he found it a little weird that an NBA Lakers player who's worth 40 million dollars a year, never flirted or slept with the hundreds of no-strings-attached-women who have thrown themselves at him. Looking back now, whenever Nathan got hit on all he did was smile politely and excuse himself to leave. If he was honest with himself he always thought Nathan wasn't into women. Which now hearing he has a wife and kids sounds really stupid on Clay's part.

Nathan almost laughed at Clay's reaction, but he found himself missing the humor in the fact that his best friend for the past four years knows nothing about him.

"How the hell could you not tell me this, Nathan?" he asked in an angry tone. "Explain this to me Nathan!" Clay demanded.

"Explain what exactly, Clay?" he chuckled dryly with no humor. "Explain that I was so heartless that I had no problem with walking away from my pregnant wife, so I could play a game that I don't even like anymore, or explain that I came back six years later and found out that my wife filled for divorce and I can't for the life of me come up with a good reason why she shouldn't divorce me. So which part should I explain exactly?" he finished sarcastically.

"My God Nathan!" exclaimed Clay in disbelieve. "If this ever got out, it could destroy your career."

"Who cares?" was the only response that Nathan could muster.

Sighing loudly Clay made a decision. "Listen Nathan, I am taking the next flight to Tree Hill so hang in there man." He said supportovely.

Nathan was about to protest but a knock on the door drew his attention away from the phone call. "Listen man! I have to go someone is at the door." He said and then hung up.

Walking to the door Nathan's thoughts drifted to who could possibly be on the other side of it. He knew it wasn't room service because he didn't order anything and the only person who currently knew where he was staying, was his mom.

Swinging the door open, Nathan found two people whom he was once upon a time was very close with. They were his wife's best friends. Looking at them he knew that they would be the people to influence his wife, to whether to give him a second chance or not.

Peyton.

Brooke.

He knew that it would all come down to Brooke. Brooke would be the one who would help Haley decide when the time came. And for that he would have to do some major ass kissing. Ever since Haley went to tour for that godforsaken month, Brooke and Haley had been closer than Lucas and Haley. Nathan knew that, he had been the cause of Haley and Lucas losing their strong bond, because at the time Lucas stood by Nathan instead of Haley and that truly hurt their friendship. But that's as much as he knows. When he left, Haley had only been back for five month. Thus fore, as far as he was concerned he really knew nothing about them anymore.

Nathan opened his mouth to speak when he was interrupted by Brooke slapping him across the cheek then pushing past him and into his hotel suite.

'What the fuck?' he exclaimed to himself 'She just slapped me!'

Letting go of his cheek, he was just about to say something, when Peyton repeated Brooke's actions. Except this time instead of slapping him Peyton punched him in the exact same spot where Lucas had punched him the night before.

After Peyton walked into his hotel suite, Nathan closed the door and walked over to the freezer and took out the ice pack and put it over his eye after taking an Advil. He then turned around and walked back towards where Brooke and Peyton were standing.

"Nicely done P. Sawyer soon-to-be-Jagaliski!" congratulated Brooke.

"Thank you B. Davis! You did well too." Peyton congratulated Brooke back.

"Well! If your done with your little love fest, mind telling me what the hell your doing here?" he asked obviously annoyed.

"We're here to talk to you Nathan" Peyton said calmly.

"Well by all means…" he gestured for them to keep talking. "Please, continue."

"Why are you back Nathan?" Brooke asked coldly.

"Honestly?" he asked genuinely.

"Yes, honestly." Peyton said stepping in.

"Well i am back for my family." At Peyton's doubtful look and Brooke's disbelieving one he explained furthur. "I had just scored the winning basket at the championships for what felt like the fiftieth time and I looked up at the stands and I couldn't help but once again look for Haley. Instead of going home that night I took a flight here instead." He said in a soft broken voice.

"Awe poor you," Brooke said mockingly.

"Brooke!" Peyton warned lightly.

Ignoring Peyton Brooke went on "Listen! I don't give a shit about your pathetic disappointments in life, Nathan. What I DO happen to care about though is the well being of my best friend and Godson! I don't care what pathetic little reasons brought you back. What I do happen care about is what your doing while you're here." By the time she finished Brooke was face to face with Nathan.

"Your his Godmother?" he asked softly.

"Yes." she paused for a moment, then went on. "Now listen up Nathan because this is the important part. Are you listening?"

"Yes."

"Good! Haley is calling the shots here because lets face it, you no longer have anything to offer Haley or Micca because your love and devotion was all Haley ever asked for and you screwed that up. So from now up until Haley gives you a chance or sends you packing, you will grovel and kiss the ground she and Micca walk on. Because you hurt them once and Haleyneeded me so I let it go but hurt them again and you kiss your manhood good bye,"she said looking down at his crotch with fierceness in her eyes. "Because this time Nathan not heaven or Earth will save you from my wrath."

Nodding Nathan felt like an idiot because as much as he hated to admit it Brooke-a woman who was easily a quarter his size- just intimidated the crap out of him. Stepping back from Brooke Nathan looked up to meet Peytons eyes.

And all she had to offer was "What she said."

"Lets go P. Sawyer soon-to-be-Jagaliski." Brooke ordered stepping around Nathan and heading towards the door.

Peyton walked over to Nathan and paused looking at Brooke then back at him again. After a minute, she finally walked towards him and wrapped her arms around him. He was tense at first but the more she hugged him the more he relaxed and soon enough he was holding onto her as if he was sinking and she was his only life line. Slowly Peyton pulled back enough to whisper in his ear " I am glad you okay Nate."she said softly and genuinely. While pulling back, she heard Nathan whisper back "I am anything but okay, Pey."

Peyton pulled back with a sympathetic look on her face. Although a part of her hated him for leaving another one loved him for coming back. If she were honest with herself she was just as torn as everybody else, but even if they wouldn't admit she knew they were all glad he's back. Peyton then side stepped him and headed towards Brooke.

When she looked Brooke in the eye she almost visibly flinched at the coldness they held.

After the whole Lucas/Brooke/Peyton Drama their friendship was never truly the same. She knew that Brooke trusted her with her life, but never could with her heart. Everyone knew that Brooke's heart was only trusted with Haley and vise verse. Even Lucas and Haley's bond didn't compare to Haley and Brooke's bond. Peyton couldn't help but be jealous of Haley sometimes, although all of them were as close as anybody got, Brooke never truly trusted Peyton again after she stole the only boy shes ever loved. And even Haley never trusted Peyton as much as she once did, because when Haley came back from tour and truly needed a friend all Peyton did was make her life miserable. Peyton knew there was no one else to blame but herself. Even though Haleyand Brooke included Peyton in everything they did and talked about, she cant help but feel like a stranger sometimes. She knew that, that wasn't their fault. These were issues she had to work on. Forgive herself in order to truly move on from the hurt she caused them both .

AN: Please Review. Good or Bad!