A/N: Hey guys sorry for the extremely late update! I've just been crazy busy! And as a "Please forgive me" gift I will post chapter six by tomorrow night!!! Sorry again and Enjoy!!!

Chapter Five: The Night The Lights Went Out In New York City

Peyton's POV

Did I ever tell you how generous of a man my best guy, Brooke would personally put out a hit on me if I didn't add the 'guy' part, friend could be? You might be just as surprised as I was when I found out the chivalry wasn't dead. So here I was back in my hometown and homeless. Of course Brooke would have let me crash at her place, but she had a baby and a teenager living with her and let's just say I really really enjoy my sleep! Nobody loves a grumpy P. Sawyer. So my only other option was the couch in my office at Tric, now I love my domain and all but I would not be able to sleep in that old warehouse of a place over night. It's kind of freaky, once I heard footsteps pacing at the bar when the place was empty and I never went back alone; strength in numbers, right.

The gallantry that is Antwon Tanner is what gave me the roof over my head while I'm in search for a new apartment. Of course the guys that I have to be roommates with jokingly swear up and down that the only reason Skillz was so persistent was in hopes that I usually go commando throughout the day; aren't they just a hoot and a half?

Finishing with the last of my errands Haley's place is the last stop before I can call an end to the work day. I don't bother knocking divulging earlier to my music buddy that I was going to drop of an invite to the breast cancer awareness benefit charity concert that was going to be the start off to the newly announced annual collaborations.

"Haley James Scott." I shout entering through the foyer, but there's no answer. "Since nobody's here I can finally burglarize your vintage collection. You know I still don't have The Who's Happy Jack vinyl. My collection would finally be completed of old, rare, and valuable."

Spotting Haley, she's at the end of the hallway and before she can meet me at the door I'm already by her side.

"Didn't anyone ever teach you how to knock?" She uses her motherly tone wagging her finger at me disapprovingly. "You could have walked in on me and Nathan making you know." She blushes, she still can't say anything, out loud, that sounds like vulgar ostentation.

"Here I thought married people didn't have sex."

I fake my surprising shock for a second, but when she swats me with the newspaper my bewildered expression is gone and out cracks the smile from my lips. We're in the living room now and I've been completely unaware up until this very moment that the married couple were currently entertaining guests, the other married Scott couple.

"And sex with an audience. Who knew the whole Scott clan was into freaky orgie stuff; I guess it's good that I got out when I did, huh."

I try to joke, but the auspicious mood is gone replaced by a dark cloud that's looming over us the imminent storm about to strike its first bolt of lightning. It would only be appropriate that I'm the only one to see the cloud shift from charcoal to black, but everyone else can feel it; I can see it in their eyes.

"Uh, Hales, can I talk to you in the kitchen for a second."

She quickly acquiesces following me into the room with the stove and I hand over the pink leaflet, the color only seemed to be appropriate.

"Wow, this is amazing. The details are just-"

"Haley, it's just a flyer" Yes, I'm still a bit hostile when it comes to receiving compliments on my art work. Something's never change. "So listen I got to go, but make sure you bring this to Tric tonight." I held up the pink paper as if the action would incise her brain to remember and not forget. "It's invitation only and if you don't convey this Pepto Bismol colored sheet you won't get in. Capiche?"

"Capiche." She laughs at my terminology.

Making my way out I decide to exit through the back door thinking it's my best option considering I really don't want to see two certain faces out in the room across from this one; plus what better excuse to give than 'I need to get everything ready for tonight'. Grabbing the door knob I turn to look at my friend one last time.

"Oh, and I didn't mean anything by what I said back in the living room about the whole-."

I didn't need to tell her that my new habit that I had picked up was to hide my hurt with a callous attitude. She just knew.

"It's okay. If I didn't think it was totally gross I would have laughed." She smiled.

***

The club filled up quickly with the many of patrons on the guest list. The Rivercourt crew coming to my aid, but once they brought up the ideas of nicknames for all of us I came up with the consumption that it was more for the walkie-talkies than to actually 'help out'. I didn't mind giving in to my own alias that they bestowed upon me as long as by the end of the day the evening went off without a hitch.

"Red Hot Flamingo do you copy?"

Skillz' clear voice comes through the small radios and I can't help but chuckle as he calls for me. There you have the name that I've been called all night.

"I'm telling you P. Sawyer you're defiantly a flamingo. Look at those legs!"

"Flamingos are pink and do I look like Malibu Barbie to you?"

We're sitting around the couch the guys are laughing eating hamburgers out of paper bags from one of the rare old fashioned joints that have been hanging around since the 1950s.

"Go ahead Big Daddy Raven." My southern accent comes out unexpectedly.

"Unkle Bob is ready to perform."

"Have they decided on a song?"

"Swans."

"Perfect. Get ready to dim the lights."

The lights have been lowered and Mouth begins to introduce the band to the rowdy crew outside. My smile growing wider. It looks like tonight's going to be a good night as the guitar begins to play and the singer's sultry voice begins to echo through the speakers.

By my side,

you'll never be.

By my side,

you'll. never. Be

"Fergie!"

I could hear Junk call out over the walkie and when there was no response he called again and again until Fergie answered.

"You're supposed to refer us by our undercover name. What's the point of having it if you don't use it?"

He was saying it more to himself than to Junk.

"Black hawk-licious."

"Go ahead Untrashy Pigeon."

Yes all five of our aliases had to do with birds. Apparently it was Skillz idea quickly snatching the raven bird before anyone else quickly saying he was technically the only one who was a raven out of the group. Fergie's name was brought up by Mouth who remembered the time when the guy got an awfully bad Mohawk, Junk's name was courtesy of me when I told him about the time that Brooke called him Trash instead of Junk, Mouth's was Bluebird Iris account of his eyes you can thank Junk for the senseless name.

"The raven just became a murder."

He spoke in code. If I wasn't paying much attention to the list of bands and singers that would be performing tonight I would have deciphered his affirmation into something that meant trouble.

"Roger that."

Lucas' POV

Can you believe that I actually had trouble getting into Tric? My good old friend Junk had stopped me at the door, apparently he was the new bouncer for the club, and refused to let me in because I wasn't on the guest list.

"Sorry, Luke, this is a private affair."

He had muttered crossing his arms refusing to let me in.

"Junk, my mom owns this place and since she's not here I have to make sure that everything's up to par so it can stay open."

"You don't have to worry everything's good. Peyton's making sure of that."

Looking over his shoulder I spotted everyone that I knew. Nathan and Haley were at the bar ordering some refreshments, Brooke had dragged Mouth out onto the dance floor, Skillz was on the stage talking to some men, and I got a quick glance at Peyton whose back happened to be turns towards me and the lights became caliginous until all I could see was the outline of her frame.

'Cause I'm fake at the seams,

I'm lost in my dreams, and

And I want you to know,

that I can't let you go.

I had slipped past my childhood friend glad that the room had been dark as I shifted throughout the bodies until I came to my destination; the bar. Slipping onto an empty stool I began to knock my knuckles on the glass counter to get the attention of one of the bartenders. It's a barmaid who saunters my way a flashy grin on her lips the red color a little too bright for my likings.

"What can I get ya? Sex on the beach? It's my favorite kind." There's a good chance that I'd roll my eyes at this woman who happens to be trying too hard. Or maybe I'm just not interested in her brown locks and brown eyes. "A Dirty Martini, maybe?"

"Kamikaze."

And you're never coming home again,

And you're never coming home again.

"Lucas. What are you doing here?"

Looking over my shoulder and who's there standing in back of me?

"Hey Hales. I'm just here to enjoy the music and…" The bartender's back with my beverage and shoots Haley a glare assuming that we were together. "…getting a drink."

"Where's Lindsay."

"Emergency in New York. She had to fly out a couple hours ago."

"Oh. I wasn't sure if Peyton was going to invite you, but I'm glad that she did." She said almost with a sigh of relief in her voice, but the alleviation didn't last long. She knows my facial expressions all too well. "She did invite you, didn't she?"

"Uh, actually, she didn't."

"Then how'd you get in?"

"Not that I need permission to be let into Tric, but Junk let me in."

Haley snaps her head towards the entrance and I follow her movements the guys are together in a small circle their heads ducked together, like when teams get into a huddle to hatch out a plan for a next strategy to win. They don't see Peyton walking towards them and when they flinch I'm sure they weren't expecting her.

By my side,

You'll never be.

By my side,

You'll. Never. Be. (x2)

"Oh this is not good."

Haley whispers; I can't hear what the guys are saying, but they're all pointing fingers in the direction of their roommate while he's pointing his finger at me causing Peyton to turn on her heal. It takes her no more than twenty strides, but she's standing next to Haley and in front of me; a not to pleasant gleam in her eyes that causes the only brunette in this group to run away mumbling that Nathan was calling her when he wasn't.

I wanted to tell you I changed.

I wanted to tell you that things would be different this time.

Peyton holds her hand out and me being the jokester that I am take it in mine and shake it; I never said I was a good one. She pulls away from my touch holding her tongue from; I'm sure, a very bad word.

"Invitation?"

She's already beginning to sound sour and we haven't even been in the same room for more than a couple of minutes.

I see you, you see me,

Differently.

I see you, you see me,

Differently.

"Got lost in the mail?"

Cracking a joke probably wasn't the best of options, but what else could I have done. She doesn't take another step that could have led this conversation into an argument and I'm glad for that. She just rubs her temples murmuring that Junk was right and that there was nothing else she could have done to have me thrown out. That's when it hit me, hard, she really wants nothing to do with me.

You tell me that you love me but you never want to see me again. (x4)

A/N: So?? What did you think?? Oh only if I could know!

I also want to run something by you all. I've had it in my mind for a while now, but Lizzy1234 brought it up and I wanted to put it into a vote. What if Julian came back into this story for a movie deal? Now before you say anymore hear out the plot that I have for this man that I adore! He and Peyton did go out and broke up, they became friends and that will be all, everyone finds out they went out a couple years ago, They hang out a lot and Lucas wonders if he came back for her and assumes that they will start something again but of course no one will contradict his thoughts. So that's his little push on realizing what he really wants. And when he does realize that I'm deciding on minor Brulian time. It's up to you guys. I'll go on the majority vote on whether or not to add him, but if most of the votes are "No"s don't worry I still have another back up storyline :D So review and cast your Vote!