A/N: I am really really really sorry that I haven't updated in months, it has been crazy couple of months, between finishing placement, starting a summer job and Christmas I haven't had much time to devote to my stories. Hopefully this will change in the New Year. So Happy belated Christmas, Happy New Year and I hope 2008 treats all my readers and reviewers well! Reviews are love!

Chapter 7-Be My Guest

Peyton paced up and down in her modest hotel room. She had expected some hostility from Brooke, and couldn't really blame her for getting upset at her presence.

Part of the reason Peyton had made the trip was she thought Brooke had finally forgiven her, and wanted to get their friendship back on track. She sighed as she sat down on the rock hard bed.

Peyton heard a faint knock on her door.

She slowly opened the door. However, the person standing back at her was the last person she expected.

"Nathan?" she said in surprise

"Peyton can we talk?" he asked seriously

She opened the door wider, and he brushed past her walking into the room.

"What do you want, Nathan?" she asked snidely

"I want to fast track the divorce" he said

"What? You have had absolutely no interest in the divorce until now. What's changed?" she asked her curly hair flying all over the place.

Nathan stood there, his hand absent-mindedly rubbing the skin on his left ring finger.

Peyton watched her husband, seeing his nervous fidgeting, she understood.

"It's Haley, isn't it?" Peyton asked, although somehow she already knew the answer.

"I'm really sorry, Peyt"

"You know I hate being called that" she said with a small smile

"We had a good marriage, you know?" he said, sitting down on the bed

"Are you kidding, Nate?" Peyton said laughing

"Huh?"

"We were awful together Nathan, we only got married for one reason, and when that disappeared, it pretty much turned into a marriage of convenience" she said, sitting down next to Nathan, but stared at her hands

"I guess so" Nathan said "I'm sorry I hurt you Peyton" he said earnestly.

"We hurt each other, Nathan" Peyton admitted

"I can't argue with that" Nathan said

"I want you to be happy; I hope you know that, Nate" Peyton said, turning to look into his eyes.

"You too" he said, getting up and moving towards the door.

"You'll call the lawyer..ahh Barrage?" He guessed

"Ok, I'll take care of it" Peyton said, as she walked him to the door.

"Thanks, Peyton this means a lot" he said earnestly

"I know it does" Peyton as Nathan exited the room.

"Bye Peyton"

"Bye Nathan"

Peyton closed the door, and lent against it

This divorce was a long time coming, but it hurt all the same.

She picked up her mobile phone from the bedside table, and dialled the LA number.

"You have reached the offices of Beck, Stein & Carter. Where may I direct your call?" a scratchy voice answered on the end of the line.

"Mr Barrage, please" she asked

She patiently waited as classical music played in her ear.

"Andrew Barrage speaking"

"Mr Barrage, this is Peyton Sawyer"

"Ah Ms Sawyer, what can I do for you?" he asked while sorting through the folders on his desk to find the one marked "SCOTT"

"Nathan and…I would like to fast track the divorce as much as possible" she said quickly

"Ok, maybe I ask why the change of pace?" he asked. The Scott divorce had become notorious as one of the most drawn out divorces they had managed.

"Just a change of circumstances" she replied vaguely

"Ok, Ms Sawyer, I will draw up the papers, and will take the next possible flight out to San Francisco" he said

"Actually, Nathan and I are both in the Hampton's at the moment for a family engagement"

"Very well, I will see you soon"

"Thank you, Mr Barrage, we both appreciate it" she said

"No problem, Ms Sawyer, and please call me Andrew" he replied

"Ok, thank you, Andrew"

"Good bye"

Andrew wondered where the sudden change in proceedings came from, and he was sure that he would find out once he made the trek to high brow New York State.

His auburn haired assistant, tapped lightly on the door.

"Mr Barrage?" she asked

"Yes Marci?" looking up from the Scott file.

"Mr Stein would like you to see him in his office immediately" she said, standing in the threshold of the door.

"Of course" he got up out of his chair, and made his way out his office.

The doorbell chimed, and Brooke waddled from the lounge room to the foyer.

Brooke waddled past the array of pink and blue condom balloons floating in the hallway, and swatted a stray streamer as it fell down off the roof. She quickly admired the lounge room that Haley had helped decorate that morning. Two banners hung from the roof one displaying "it's a boy!" on one side of room and "it's a girl!" on the other. She opened the door to find her mother-in-law and her husband.

"Karen, what are you doing here?"

"We're here for the baby shower silly!" Karen said, hugging her daughter-in-law

"Ohhh I thought you couldn't get time off at the café!" Brooke squealed

"Turns out Deb's back on the straight and narrow" Karen replied

"Ok.Nathan didn't mention that" Brooke said confusingly

"Well you know Deb, takes her months to get sober…" Karen said diplomatically

"And about 2 minutes to get drunk?" Brooke finished brashly

"Well yes"

"Ohhh I am so glad you are here" Brooke said hugging Karen again

"Sweetheart, me too" Karen said. She had always been fond of the women standing in front of her. Even when she was a teenager, and had lost her way, Karen knew that Brooke would grow into an amazing human being. She was immensely glad that her son saw the same qualities in Brooke as well.

"Hey, what about me?" Keith said pulling a fake sad expression

"Of course, how are you Keith?" Brooke hugged Keith

"Couldn't be better, sweetie. Where's our boy?" he asked glancing around the house

"Where else?" Brooke said rolling her eyes

Her in-laws looked at each other, and replied in unison "the court"

Lucas, Skills, Fergie, Junk and Nathan were playing basketball on the asphalt surface at the rear of the house. Of course Mouth was sitting on the side lines commentating on the 3-2 game.

"Are you losers ready to get burned?" a voice came from the porch

"Coop, what the hell?" Nathan said thumping Cooper on the fist.

"I didn't expect baby showers to be your thing, Coop" Lucas said reciprocating Nathan's action.

"Isn't exactly but the old woman dragged me along, plus I get to see my knucklehead of a nephew" Coop said, joining the men on the court.

"Old woman? I'm sure Rach would love you calling her that" Mouth asked

"Nah she would cut my balls off and serve them for dinner, probably" Cooper said, grinning goofily.

"That's harsh, dog" Skills said

"Do you know Rachel?" Coop asked, eye brow raised

"True, that" Skills replied, shooting the basketball clear into the hoop from the 3 point line

"Where is she anyway?" Nathan asked

"Doing all that girlie shit with all the women"

"How about we save Keith, and play some games of NBA live?" Lucas suggested

"Alright, let's go" Junk said

As the boys moved inside to the rumpus room, the women sat in a circle while Brooke opened presents.

"So, Ho which present are you going to open next?" Rachel asked "After all mine was pretty awesome"

Brooke waved Rachel's present around. "Yeah I'm sure that chocolate body paint will come in handy when looking after a baby" she said sarcastically

Rachel shrugged her shoulders. "Might give your sex drive a kick start" Rachel said, gesturing something rude to Brooke.

"Ok, ok, mother in the room!" Karen called out

"Oh I wanna open this one next!" Brooke called out in glee, pointing to Karen and Keith's gift that Keith had just carried in before joining in on the men's festivities

Brooke carefully unwrapped the large object.

"Come on Brooke you always do this, unwrap the damn thing already!" Haley said from her position on the floor.

Brooke ripped through the paper, and a light blue crib with star cut outs scattered throughout remained

"Karen this is….
"Lucas' and Lilys' crib. I thought since I don't plan to have anymore kids, you would find it more useful" Karen said fondly

"Thank you, Karen its perfect"

"No problems, sweetie" Karen said as she hugged Brooke

"Woo, who's this one from?" Brooke said waving a carefully wrapped package around.

Everyone remained silent.

"It's from me" a voice behind the group said

"Peyton?" Brooke said

"What are you doing here?" Haley asked

"I left the present yesterday; I just need to talk to Nathan for a minute" Peyton stated

"Of course you do" Haley said snidely, mirroring Peyton's remarks from the day before.

As Haley and Peyton exchanged remarks, Brooke delicately opened the pale green silk wrapping.

A bound green book lay in her lap patterned with dragonflies.

Brooke carefully opened the book. Inside were hand drawn pictures of Brooke and Lucas' in various times of their life. Baby pictures of Brooke with her nanny, and Lucas with Keith and Karen on the front lawn at their house in Tree Hill. Pictures of the two in elementary school, Brooke's arms around a 7 year old Peyton, Haley with Lucas and the river court boys, Haley and Lucas on the rooftop at Karen's Café, about to write their predictions for a new school year, Brooke and Peyton down by the river with Brooke applying makeup, and Peyton listening to a Discman. Then memories of high school, Peyton, Brooke and Jenny by the river court, Brooke and Lucas at Rachel's cabin during senior year, Haley and Brooke after the Sparkle Classic in junior year, Brooke and Peyton in their cheerleading uniforms after the state championship, Lucas and Nathan with arms around each other and Nathan holding the championship cup, the group minus Jake and Haley, in their graduation gowns. Brooke kept flipping the pages of the book, finding more memories that had occurred over the last 10 years including Brooke and Lucas' wedding day, their arms around each other, in amidst of a kiss. Finally Brooke flipped to the last drawing. Brooke, heavily pregnant, her arms around her 26 year old husband, dressed in their previous days clothes, standing in their kitchen.

"Peyton...This is beautiful" she said, handing the book to Karen.

"It's no problem Brooke. An when that baby comes, I'll add more" she offered

"Thank you Peyton" Brooke said looking straight into her eyes

"It's nothing, really" moving towards the rumpus room

"It's really something" Karen said, flipping through the pages.

"I'm just going to...answer the door" Peyton finished as a loud rapid knock came from the front door.

"Don't worry about it Peyton, I'll get it" Brooke said, as she struggled to get up from the couch

"It's ok" Peyton said climbing the stairs into the foyer. At the same time, Lucas and Nathan walked out of the rumpus room, beers in hand

She opened the door, and was shocked to see the person staring back at her.

"Jake?!"

"Peyton?" he said in dismay

"Jake?" the brothers said in unison

"Jake?" Brooke called from the living room at the same time

"Oh boy" Haley said sculling her champagne.