Just wanted to set up dynamic and characters. So this might not be my best work.

Brooke stood outside leaning on her car as Lucas gave her his speal on the medicine that Sawyer needed to take. She had heard it many times before. Sawyer had diabetes, but it was manageable, and Brooke had known what to do since Sawyer was a toddler.

"Alright Brooke. Remember, it's only the red pill that she needs to take today. And make sure she checks her blood sugar. She'll say she does it, but you have to watch her. And-"

She rolled her eyes, "Lucas!" He stopped, "What?!, what?" She chuckled, "Calm down. I've taken care of Sawyer since she was in diapers. She's just coming over for the afternoon like she always does. Why are you so anxious?"

Lucas rubbed his neck, "It's just a reminder I guess. Where are they anyways! I want to say bye to her before I go back to the gym with the boys"

"Don't worry I see Sawyer right over there"

Sawyer walked up to her dad and hugged him. Brooke couldn't help but feel a little jealous. Sam was always more of a brooder, while Sawyer was her cheerful counterpart.

"Hey Dad!, shouldn't you be prepping the guys for the game?" Lucas, apart from being a writer, was also the school gym teacher as well as basketball coach. "uhhm yeah. Just had to talk Brooke for a while."

Brooke rolled her eyes. He really just wanted to make sure Sawyer wasn't walking out of school with the infamous Justin, who's had an eye on her her for a while.

Sawyer just shrugged her shoulders and was going to make her way in, but Lucas stopped her, "honey make sure you take your medicine and check-"

She filled in the words, "and check my blood sugar. I'm not a little girl dad, stop telling me, I already know."

Lucas hated it when she said this because she was a little girl. She was his little girl.

"alright fine, geez" he said backing off. He kissed her cheek and said his goodbyes to Brooke as he made his way back to the gym.

Brooke sighed heavily, "Sawyer, where the hell is Sam?"

Sawyer answered from the passenger seat of the car, "She was talking with Mr. Brown. She'll be here in a bit."

Brooke was about to say something but Sam finally emerged from the school. Brooke made eye contact with her and smiled from the rearview mirror.

Most of the car ride consisted of Sawyer telling Brooke about the cheerleading tryout she had the other day, "it was so cool Aunt Brooke! Mom said she thinks I nailed it. You could even ask Sam, she was there for support. I can't wait for the results!"

Brooke congratulated Sawyer, but kept looking through the rearview mirror and noticed the unusual quiet emanating from the back. Usually Sam would've cracked a joke or two about cheerleaders and their stupidity.

"Hey Sammy?" Brooke called

"What up Brooke?" she responded nonchalantly

"How was school today sweetie?"

Sam looked at her phone and frowned, "I don't know. It was school. It sucked. What else is new?" Sam said bitingly.

"Sam relax it was just a question." Brooke said calmly

Sam was in a daring mood, "Well mine was just an answer. So you can calm down too! Damn it. You're so annoying."

Brooke was taken aback and Sawyer turned to face Sam, she mouthed the words, "What the Hell?" at her. Sam dismissed Sawyer.

"What is wrong with you?!" Brooke said loudly.

"NOTHING. Leave me the fuck alone! God, is that so hard? I don't need you to know everything, or anything at that!" Brooke was astonished. Why was Sam so angry? She made her way into their driveway, "Fine then. Get your ass into your room! You don't want me around you? Then you can spend your day there." Sam didn't move, "mom!" she yelled

"BYE!" Brooke finally said ending the argument

Sam got up from the backseat abruptly and slammed the door. Brooke scoffed and turned to her niece,

Sawyer put her hands up, "I don't know Aunt Brooke, she was extra moody today at school too. Jack wasn't at school to chill her out either."

Brooke massaged her temples and sighed, "alright. Well come on, you gotta take your medicine. Looks like you'll be with me until your mom comes to pick you up. Sam's not leaving her room tonight"

Both Brooke and Sawyer made their way into the house.

… … … … …

Sam slammed the door to her room, and fell onto her bed. Angry tears flowed from her eyes. She didn't mean to have snapped at Brooke, but the news she had gotten just minutes ago had rattled her.

Mr. Brown had informed her that he was in contact with her birth mother. The one that had abandoned her and worked in the diner, only to have fled when Sam revealed who she was. She asked Mr. Brown to give Sam a note. Sam didn't open it yet, but she hated her. She hated that this woman could affect her emotions so much. She hated that this stranger could make her feel so inadequate and vulnerable all over again. So vulnerable that she wanted to climb onto Brooke's lap and hide her face in the crook of Brooke's neck. Instead she responded with a backlash of anger, and it didn't help to have Sawyer talk about something as trivial as cheerleading, when in her pocket she had a note that was burning through her.

Carefully she took the note out of her pocket. Sam unfolded it,

Dear Sam,

I'm sorry that I left so quickly last year when you told me who you were. Sweetie, it's not that I don't want you. But it's just that you didn't fit into my lifestyle. I would have been a disservice to you. It was for your own good. But I'm better now. Write back please."

Sam was shaking with anger. How dare she call her "sweetie", how dare she think she knows what's best for her.

"I hate you" Sam whispered.

"I hate you, I HATE YOU, I FUCKING HATE YOU!" she said in a rage. Her vision was blinded by her tears. She wanted so badly to run out and tell Brooke everything, just so she could feel her mother's embrace, but she couldn't put her guard down. Instead, she blasted the music on her Ipod and ripped up the note until it was completely obliterated. She laid down once more, hoping that sleep would momentarily bring her peace. She wanted Jack, but Jack was away for a week. She wanted her dad, but her dad was at work. She wanted her mom, but, but that meant accepting that she was wrong.

… … … …

Brooke was livid. Sawyer sat on the stool resting her arms on the countertop as she watched Brooke cut vegetables.

"Aunt Brooke" she said hesitantly

"what" Brooke said tersely

Sawyer bit her lip, "umm you know Sam really didn't mean all that stuff"

It didn't help Brooke at all, "true or not. She needs an attitude adjustment" she said pointedly

Sawyer decided to say nothing else. She waited anxiously for her mom to save her from the tension in the Baker Household. Finally the doorbell rang. Sawyer ran and opened the door, "Mommy!" she yelled as she hugged her. Peyton chuckled and hugged her back. "Hi Sweetie. I didn't know you'd be so happy to see me."

Sawyer blushed when she realized how childish she had probably just looked.

Peyton kissed her on the cheek, "it's okay sweetheart I'm your mom. You can be as sweet as you want." This made her blush even more, mentally kicking herself for the "mommy" slip. She had willed herself to get away from that word now that she was in high school.

Brooke came to the doorway smiling, "You're lucky. You have a daughter that's too sweet for her own good" she said hugging her best friend.

Peyton smiled, "uh oh, trouble in Sam land?"

Brooke frowned, "I don't know. She's just being extra moody today. Kind of had a melt down in the car for no reason."

"Where is she?" Peyton asked

"Banished to her majesty's chambers"

Peyton laughed, but then put her hand on Brooke's shoulder, "Talk to her Brooke. She probably needs to talk to someone. And in my experience B. Davis has the best advice."

Brooke smiled at her best friend's words, "Don't worry I will...Just giving us time to both cool off."

Brooke waited a while longer. She knocked on Sam's door but no one answered,
"Sam, open the door." she said in a tired voice. No answer. Brooke sighed and turned the knob, only to find Sam sleeping curled into a ball. Her eyes were puffy because she was crying. Her teddy bear was tightly secured between her arms. Brooke's heart warmed. She pulled her blanket over her and went back out.

Brooke heard the front door opening and Julian's familiar whistle fill their home.
She felt someone hug her from behind, "Hey babe.' he said.

Brooke smiled, "Hey Julian." she kissed him.

"Where's Samson?" he asked casually.

"We got into an argument." Julian stopped, "oh no. What'd she say this time?" Brooke thought for a moment, "It doesn't matter. She didn't mean it. But there's definitely something going on. I'll talk to her when she wakes up."

Julian nodded and hugged Brooke, "Baby, you don't need to deal with this alone. I'm right here too."

Brooke weakly smiled, "We'll do it together then."

Sam didn't wake up, so they decided to talk to her later. Brooke went to bed playing and replaying Sam's words to her, trying to think of reasons why Sam would've been so mad.

Sam woke up to her phone's ring. Sleepily she picked up,

"Hello" she mumbled

"Sammy, sweetie?" a female voice spoke back

"who's this?" Sam asked more curiously

"it's your mom, your real mom"

"leave me alone!" Sam yelled into the phone

She hung up and threw her phone across the room, once more she heard it vibrate, but this time it was a text. She got up and checked her phone to see what it said.

I want to be a part of your life. I can take care of you, and if me or you get tired of each other you can always just go back with Brooke and Julian. Please.

-Mom

Sam couldn't believe she had said that. She was beside herself. It didn't matter anymore, she had to get this off her chest. Once again her birth mother made her feel disposable. Quietly she went to her parent's room.

She gently shook Brooke awake.

"hmm?" Brooke said still partially asleep. She opened her eyes and saw Sam's face. Quickly she sat up and turned on her light, "Sam what's wrong?" she asked sincerely

Sam's voice quavered, "m-mommy"

Brooke guided Sam onto the bed. Julian woke up, "w-what's going on?" he asked looking at Sam's distressed face.

Sam threw her phone between them, "make her stop! Tell her to leave me alone!" she sounded small and needy. Julian picked up the phone and his face hardened, he showed Brooke who felt an anger boil inside her. How could this woman have the audacity to mess with the emotions of a 14 year old? Brooke recognized the vulnerability in Sam's eyes, "come here sweetheart" Sam crawled in between Julian and Brooke. Julian put her arms around her and kissed the top of her head, "don't let her bother you baby. We'll make sure she leaves you alone" Sam nodded, "okay" she answered soflty, He let her go and she scooted towards Brooke.

"Mom?" she asked meekly,

"Hmmm?" Brooke said staring at her daughter. Sam's lips quivered.

Brooke opened her arms, "come here Sammy."

Sam let herself be embraced, "I'm sorry for today-"
Brooke rubbed her back, "ssshhh, sshhhh. We'll talk about that tomorrow. Get some rest honey. And don't worry we'll fix this."

Both parents looked at each other worried for the well being of their daughter.

… … …. ….

Sawyer got a text from one of the cheerleaders. Her name was Haley. It was a mass text describing a party for all the girls who tried out. The party was Friday and wouldn't start until 12. Sawyer's curfew was 12 and sometimes 1 am. She felt her heart fall.

"damn" she thought

Sawyer needed to go to this party. If she didn't show, how would they know that she was serious about cheerleading? Mentally, she accepted the fact that she would have to lie to her parents. But was terrified. She would have to ask Sam what she thought. While staring at the text her mom came in.

"Hey Kiddo, don't stare too hard at the screen" she said playfully

Her mom's voice made her jump and she dropped the phone right on her face. Quickly Peyton made her way to her bed, "Sawyer! Be careful!" she scolded

"I'm fine mom, really" Sawyer said feeling guilty.

"alright fine"

"So your dad's staying late at school tonight. He wanted me to tuck you in, since he can't."

Sawyer felt extra childish at her dad's request.

"Mmmooommmm" she whined, "I don't need you to tuck me in. I'm 14 now."

Peyton smiled, "how 'bout you let me do it just one more time, since you know, your dad hogged you most of the time"

Sawyer smiled weakly, "I guess so. Okay."

Peyton tucked Sawyer in and gave her a kiss on the cheek.

"I love you" Peyton said quietly

"I love you too." Sawyer responded trying not to think of the lies that she was about to pull come Friday.

Peyton watched as her daughter fell asleep. She was 14, but she still had her childish qualities. She was growing up.

Please Review. They make me write. What do you think so far? Suggestions? Write whatever you'd like! Thank you for reading!