I appreciate all the reviews, but to everyone worried about Peyton, just breathe & bare with me lol I'm gonna come off first saying I don't like Peyton as a character at all & agree with what a lot of you are saying about her. I am not gonna make her a complete über bitch, but I'm not gonna make her ok with this either. We all know that's out of character. With that said, trust that I'm not gonna do anything too bad. Like I said I don't like Peyton, so she's not gonna get the happy ending here. & remember this is a Brucas fic, so please just trust me & hang in there through the drama. I promise it gets better for our favorite couple, but I wouldn't be staying true to the characters or show if I didn't make them go through it a little bit...as for the person who asked about Brooke's attack, that's something I've been debating, but if I do decide to do it, things won't happen the same way it did on the show.
How could she have been so stupid, of course Peyton would be here, she lived here. They should have just gone back to Luke's place, but for once she wasn't actually thinking about Peyton. As a result? That's exactly who they had to deal with.
"What's going on?" Peyton asked from her spot in the kitchen, a mix of confusion and hurt on her face.
"Peyton," Brooke repeated trying to find something to say, anything that would explain this without hurting her friend. She walked towards the kitchen, stopping at the other side of the island. "Listen Peyton,"
"No Brooke, what the hell? Is this where you've been all weekend?" She asked cutting off the brunette. "And to think I was actually worried about you," she scoffed looking between her best friend and the man she still loved. "I can't believe you'd do this. Are you trying to get back me for something? You know how I feel about him..."
"This isn't about you Peyton," Brooke replied.
"Then what is it about Brooke? If you're not doing this to hurt me, then why are you?"
"I love him," it was the first time she voiced her feelings for Lucas to her friend since high school. She had always been the one to put her feelings aside, but she couldn't do it anymore.
"You what? Brooke, come on you guys have been over forever. You cried with me about my feelings and now you're doing this to hurt me," Peyton almost yelled, tears threatening to spill fro her eyes.
"It's not to hurt you, i just.."
"Just what Brooke? Can't control yourself? Once a slut always a slut right?"
That was when Lucas knew he had to step in. It wasn't Brooke's fault that he was once again coming between them. It wasn't her fault that Peyton was acting this way either, it was his. "Peyton don't blame Brooke for this ok? You wanna be mad at someone be mad at me," he said walking into the kitchen, standing between the two women. "I will always care about you Peyton, but I love Brooke. I asked her to marry me."
Peyton looked between them, hurt taking over her emotions, tears filling her eyes. She left, walked out the door and didn't look back.
Brooke expected the fight with Peyton to be bad, but she didn't expect her to disappear completely. She wanted to try and talk things out, but Peyton never came home last night. The brunette couldn't really blame her, if things were switched she wouldn't have come home either.
She had spent the morning in her store, trying to organize everything and make up for the time she lost over the weekend. It was now five and she was ready to close the store early. Locking the doors she decided she would start a search for Peyton. Knowing her friend wouldn't want to speak to her, but she needed to work this out.
First stop, Tric. If Peyton wasn't in the club she could always check the office next door. She knew it was the obvious place, but she really hoped the blond would be there. After chatting with Chase at the bar she quickly found out Peyton hadn't stopped in to either.
She then decided to check Peyton's old neighborhood, knowing her friend would take walks through it when she needed to clear her mind. There was no sign of Peyton or her car there either. There was one more place she could check, Brooke made her way to the cemetery.
Walking over to Anna's grave, she didn't find Peyton, but she did take a minute to pay her respects. It had been a long time since she had been here. She used to come with Peyton all the time. Supporting her friend and giving her strength. It was crazy how much the two have been through over the years. Always standing by each either, but some how one boy had always managed to come between them.
Brooke shook her head, clearing away those thoughts as she made her way over to another head stone. Keith Scott. She smiled; it had been even longer since she had come to see Keith. She wished that he was here to help Lucas, to watch his daughter grow up, be with Karen, and be there the day her and Lucas get married. She could now feel tears in her eyes. This wasn't how it was supposed to be. He was with them everyday, she knew that, but that didn't mean she didn't miss him and know how much everyone needed him.
Lucas walked in the door of his brother's house hoping to get some one on one time with his best friend. He continued into the kitchen, finding Haley taking things out of the fridge, getting dinner ready. "Hey Hales."
She looked up and laughed, "Hey trouble. You just missed Peyton, but judging by the conversation we just had, that's probably a good thing," she said continuing to move around the kitchen.
Luke propped himself down on the stool against the island. "What do you want me to say Hales? I'm sorry? She has no right to be upset."
"Lucas, you led her on, she thought the two of you were going to be together and now you're marrying her best friend...Look, I'm not picking sides; I guess I just wanna know how you ended up there."
"You told me to stop running, to listen to my heart. Well I did. I love Brooke, I always have, but I've let other people tell me what I wanted and who I wanted and I lost sight of that."
Haley nodded listening to her friend. She was trying to be supportive, she just wanted to make sure he knew what he was doing before he pushed Peyton away probably for good. She also needed to make sure Brooke wasn't going to end up getting her heart trampled on again, that was something she knew her best friend wouldn't be able to recovery from. "Lucas, you have to be sure this time, you can't do this to Brooke again. Tell her she's the one and then go running off to Peyton. I just…"
"That's not going to happen this time. For the first time in so long I know what I want. I want a life with Brooke. When you told me to listen to my heart and really think about what I wanted, I did. I thought about everything. When I needed someone, i have always gone to Brooke, yes I was there for Peyton, but she came to me. Brooke has always been there for me, no matter what. It's time for me to be there for her. I love her Hales. When I think about the one person I can't live without, it's her. I want to spend the rest of my life with Brooke."
Haley walked around the table, and threw an arm over his shoulder, giving him a half hug. "If this is what you want, I'm in full support. Just don't hurt her again."
He nodded smiling at his long time best friend, he was happy they had her blessing. He also loved the fact that she was so worried about Brooke. The friendship between his best friend and his fiancé had grown so much over the years and it made him smile. How much each cared and looked out for other, when only a few years ago they didn't even speak. "Thanks Hales."
Walking through the door, Brooke found no sign of Peyton at her house and sighed plopping down on the couch. This wasn't how this was supposed to go. When you get engaged you're supposed to celebrate with your best friend, not fight about it. She picked up her phone and tried calling the blond for the millionth time that day, but just like every other time she tried, she got the voicemail.
"Hey," Brooke heard along with a click of the front door.
"Hey," she replied back, not looking up at the person who had just walked in.
"Ok, what's wrong?" Lucas asked sitting down next to her. Stupid question, he knew what was wrong. Brooke just glared at him, then looked back at a spot on the coffee table, he knew better than to ask her that. "Come on, talk to me," he said taking her hand in his, "I know this situation sucks, but Peyton will come around, you just gotta give her time."
Brooke nodded, looking at him, her face softer; she knew they needed to talk about this. "I knew things would be bad with Peyton, but I didn't expect her to shut me out completely. I mean we've done this, we yell and scream and fight, but at least I know she still cares."
"Well if it makes you feel any better she was at Haley and Nathan's earlier," Lucas said hoping to reassure the brunette on his right. Seeing the confused 'how do you know that' look on her face, he continued, "I stopped over to talk to Hales, she said I just missed her." Pulling his fiancé into his arms, he tried to reassure her, "it's gonna be alright. Look, no matter what happens Brooke, I'm not going anywhere. I'm not gonna let Peyton come between us, you need to trust that."
She nodded against his chest, "I know, I do. I guess after everything we've been through, it's hard not to doubt it."
"But after everything we've been through we're together. People who are meant to be always find their way right?" He asked smiling and squeezing her closer to him. Brooke just closed her eyes and smiled, snuggling into Lucas's chest, feeling relaxed for the first time since they came home.
I know I made you wait so long and it's not that long of an update, sorry! But I do hope you like this chapter, please let me know what you think xo