So far the reviews have been positive. Thank you so much! I had no idea this would be so much fun! I hope everyone is still enjoying this story.

This installment is a lot shorter and the next chapter probably will be as well. But don't worry, there are a couple of pretty long chapters to follow these. Ok, carrying on...

Chpt. 5: People Get Ready

Peyton couldn't believe it was her wedding day. She was finally going to marry Lucas Scott. The boy who saved her life in more ways then she could count was going to become her life, now and forever. True love always. Peyton knew she had walked around the last few days with a permanently goofy smile on her face. She couldn't help it. They had never had a lot of happy but now it seemed even the gods agreed they were due. And today, the day all of her work and all the secrets would finally come together, was shaping up to be a beautiful day--she and Luke woke to sunny skies and a dry forecast. Everything was going to be perfect; even Peyton's tendency towards pessimism couldn't overwhelm the feeling that this would be the greatest of great days. Now all she had to do was get Luke to the River Court.

With that goal in mind she knocked on the bathroom door and poked her head in. "Hey slowpoke."

Luke spoke from the shower, "You coming in? We could get this party started."

Peyton replied, "You wish," but peeking her head around the curtain, she sighed, "Hm. I wish." Damn he looked good when all he wore was a smug grin and a cocked eyebrow. "No, don't distract me," she shook her head when Lucas's smile brightened. "Listen, I've gotta go meet Haley. She has the dress I'm going to borrow and Brooke's got…well, lets just say Brooke's made the 'extra' I'm going to wear." This time she laughed when Luke's smile brightened again. "Anyway, I'm just going to get dressed there. You know, girl stuff, let them do my hair, surprise you. That sort of thing. Why don't I just call you when I'm ready and you can pick me up at Haley's house, k? Give me about two hours."

"Two hours?! And you called me a slowpoke?"

"Shut up. Trust me, I'll be worth the wait." Backing out of the bathroom, Peyton flushed the toilet and fled to the sound of Luke's curse.

"Peyton Sawyer! Keep your head still! I can't believe I told Haley I could handle you by myself."

"But Brooke, champagne is meant to be drunk straight back. One gulp. And at the price you paid for this stuff, it might as well be a shot of liquid gold. Not that I'm complaining, just--Oh shit!" Brooke laughed when Peyton's "liquid gold" was almost poured down her chest. "I need to text Luke! He doesn't know to meet me at the River Court! What was I thinking?"

"You were thinking one more glass of champagne wouldn't hurt," was Brooke's dry reply. "And I was thinking that I'd kick your scrawny ass back to L.A. if you got one drop of champagne on this fabulous dress."

"Damnit." Peyton frantically texted Luke 'Change of plans-headed to RC to drop H w/ N. Meet me there. Hurry up!' "Ok. Done. He'll be a little confused but he'll be there." Peyton swirled one last time in front of the mirror. "It is a fabulous dress, Brooke. And made by the fabulous B. Davis herself. How's a girl get so lucky?"

"Well, it helps that your hot. I'd've made you a dress either way but I save my best designs for hot blonde girls who marry the love of their life," Brooke smirked.

"Huh. Well, good to know. Lets go. I wanna get married."

"Wait, Peyton, one more thing."

"Brooke, there's no time for one more--" Peyton stopped short and her eyes (so much for best laid plans) welled with tears when she saw the veil Brooke was holding. "Brooke. Its…Its. Oh shit, I can't cry. We didn't talk about a veil."

"I know but you need your old, your new, your borrowed, and your blue. So I made you a little of each." Brooke ran her fingers over the light blue ribbon woven through the veil's edges while she explained. "I talked to your dad and we found an old wedding picture. Its this great shot of your parents with their backs to the camera, both smiling over their shoulders. You should get it from Larry. Anyway. Your dad thinks this is a pretty good replica of the veil your Mom wore. We found hers in the attic but it was in pretty bad shape. I was only able to salvage a little, but this ribbon is from your Mom's actual veil. Everything else is new. Oh and Jamie helped me work on it and he wanted in on the deal so he lent you one of his very own pennies, straight from his piggy bank." Brooke showed Peyton the shiny penny tucked away from view under the veil's layers. "He swears this particular penny is good luck. So the veil is sortof new and sortof old and sortof borrowed. And I figured since your wearing your Mom's ring…This could be another way of having her here today. It just seemed right." Brooke could tell Peyton was about to lose control of the tears she fought to hold back. "Is it too much? I don't want to make you sad."

"No. God no. Its beautiful Brooke. You're beautiful."

The two girls watched in the mirror as Brooke carefully attached the veil to Peyton's curls. Wrapping her arms around Peyton from behind, Brooke sighed,"You're beautiful too, Peyton. And you're my best friend. I'll make sure Broody remembers that. I love you."

"I can't cry Brooke." But Peyton turned to grab her best friend and hold on.

"I know. We won't." Brooke pulled away, holding out her fist and smiling when Peyton automatically bumped hers against it. "Now lets get our asses in the car or its gonna be 'hoes over no bros' soon."