Age Is Just A Number

Chapter 15 Falling Apart

The world starts to fade in and out, dizzying his mind as the words spin around continually in his head. Lucas sat down on the edge of Peyton's bed, " Damn Peyton, where are you?" he says, as he dial her cell for the fifty time. "Baby, please call me, or come home, or I can come to you whatever you want. Peyton I love you. I didn't know about the baby, hell I don't even know if it's mine. Baby, I'm sorry Please come home. I love you... I need you." he sighs as he tosses the phone behind him.

Tears are continuously coming down as he buries his head between his knees. He was still at lost and shock at what had happened. He just wanted it all to be a bad dream.

"Luke, honey" Karen said, as she walked into the room. After they noticed Peyton gone Karen insisted that she should come with him, so she could talk to her alone.

"What, I'm I going to do mom sh..." , his own voice getting caught in his throat. "She, Peyton is my world and she's gone." he cried.

"Oh honey, It will be okay, it will" Karen said, as she pulled him towards her. "Peyton loves you sweetheart, she will see through Lindsey and Haley." Karen said, as she rocked him back in forth.

"Do you think the baby is mine" He asked, he needed to know what she was thinking to. He has always counted on his mom's side of things.

"He does have your eyes, Lucas," She signs because, she knows he doesn't want to hear that. "But I never met the other guy she is with, so I guess the only one who can really answer your question is Lindsey. "

"I know, do you think its wrong of me to want a DNA?"

"No I don't I want to see one to." she said, as she thought back to holding that little boy."No matter what Lucas you have me okay, your son or not"

"I know mom, I just wish that Peyton felt the same way" Lucas knew deep down that there was a chance the baby was his. And he will be there for his son, thats the way his mom raised him, but having a future without Peyton was breaking his heart.

She was also worried about Peyton, she didn't even notice Peyton left early. She was to shocked to pay attention to anything. Lucas call her phone once he realized she wasn't in his apartment anymore. They have spent the past five hours looking everywhere. but no luck.

"Chase is calling Brooke, so maybe she will know something" Karen said, as Lucas looked up at her.

"Yeah, I forgot about Brooke, that's where she is mom" Lucas said, as he stood up

"What"

"Peyton she has to be in LA, with Brooke, or on her way there." He said, as relived washed over him. "I have to go to LA"

"Lucas, you don't know she is there or not" Karen said, as she followed him out Peyton's apartment.

"Yes I do mom, Peyton and Brooke are best friends, when one of their lives is falling apart they turn to each other. I know she is there, she has to be." he said, as he run down the stairs. Karen just shook her head, wondering it he was doing the right thing, by going after her.


Ring, ring, ring, Brooke cursed as she reached for her ringing cell phone.

"What?" she yelled, through the phone. Clearly pissed that someone had to decide to interrupted her much-needed beauty sleep.

"Brooke, it's Chase" he said, in low nervous voices. He wasn't sure if she was going to talk to him or hang up on him.

Brooke's eyes widen withsurprise as she heard his voice. She wasn't expecting him on the other line, she hasn't heard from him since the night on the beach when he call to tell her, that he couldn't see her anymore. And that they were not meant to be.

"What do you want?" her voice was cold and bitter. She can't believe he is actually calling her at 3 in the morning. "Because I don't want no apologies, or I didn't me to hurt you and all the drama" she hates that she has to be this mean to him, but she is still hurting over the way he throw everything away with things got ruff.

"Brooke, I..." he signed deeply, he knew she didn't want to talk to him. And that there is a lot that they needed to talk about, but now just wasn't the time. " I didn't call to apologies, I cal...

"Why in the hell did you call?" she demanded in an angry tone., Not letting him know he just stabbed her heart, she has be dreaming of him calling her, or coming after her. " I would like to get back to sleep soon, I do have scho...

"It;s Peyton"

Brooke heart stop at the sound of her best friends name."What about her? " She asked in voice laced with worried now, but calmer then it was early.

"Last night at the dinner Lucas had, Something happened"

"What?" she jumped out of bed grabbing her suit case. "What the hell happen Chase?" she knew by his tone that it was something serious.

"Everything with Karen was going smoothly, till Haley and Nathan show up"

"Damn them" Brooke whispered, as she start to throw clothes in her suit case. "What did they do?"

"Well Lindsey was with them"

"Wait, Lindsey, as in Lucas ex-wife?" She was again as she was throwing things in her bag,

"Yeah, that's the one" he sighed, "Lindsey decide last night that it was time for her son to meet his dad."

"Lucas, is a father?" she flopped down on the bed. Her heart was aching for her best friend. " Oh Peyton" she whipsered,

"Yeah, that's what she said."

"You mean, Lucas is a dad in he never told Peyton, that ass" she was clearly pissed off now.

"NO, Brooke, Lucas didn't know about the baby till last night. Only Haley and Nathan knew, Karen are mom didn't even know."

"OH" Brooke took a deep breath, wondering how Peyton was handling the news. "So what happen next?"

"I wasn't there when everything happen All I know is Lucas called me. He told me that he couldn't find Peyton. We have called her cell all night. We checked the apartment, the beach, the graveyard, the rivercourt. We have checked every place we could think of. Lucas's is a mess, I don't know what else to do for him. Peyton is gone, and she took Lucas's heart with her."

Brooke closed her eyes, as she took in everything that happen. Her eyes filled with tears, as she wondered where her best friend could be. "I'm on my way" she whispered, then clicked the end button. "Lord please let her be okay" she whispered up towards the ceiling. As the tears start to come.

Brooke quickly gather up her two suit cases in head towards her door. As she reached the door, she heard a little knock. She sat down her suit case, in headed for the door. She looked out the peep-hole. "Peyton" she whispered, as she quickly open the door. "Oh Peyton, you're here, you're okay."

"Yeah, I'm okay" Peyton said, as she dazed off. " I just hopped on a plane, without any clothes or anything, I couldn't go home knowing I didn't have anyone there."

"Peyton" Brooke whispered, as she reached for her hand." I'm glad your here, and that your safe, but I wish you would of called me, I could met you at the aorport of something."

She looks up from her days, her eyes wet from her tears she couldn't help but cry. "I know," she creid. " I just needed to see my best friend. It hurt Brooke, it really hurts."

"I know honey," Brooke said, as she pulled her into a hug,

"It was too good to be true right? I shouldn't have expected anything. I was stupid. I should have known something like this would happen." She steps back to catch her breath and stop the tears from going any further. "Please don't say you're sorry. I'm tired of it."

"I won't. It's been one hell of a night. huh?" Brooke said, as she pulled her into her house.

"You could say that again"


Back in Tree Hill. "Are you two proud of yourselves" Chase said, as he enters Haley and Nathans bedroom turning on the bright light

"Chase man, what the hell?" Nathan asked, as his eyes adjusted to the light.

"Hey, you can't just walk into someone bedroom in the middle of the night" Haley said, as she grabbed her robe.

"And you two shouldn't have invited yourself over for dinner last night either, knowing,how important last night was to him. And to bring that bitch with you. What the hell is wrong with you two?" He yelled

"Hey, calm down Jamie is sleeping" Haley said, as she got out of bed in tied her robe around her. "Look Lucas had a right to know about the baby"

"Oh yeah, and last night just had to be the night huh? Why because his girlfriend, a sweet, caring, innocence girl, that you don't like because, of her age was there you figure this would scare her away"

"Chase man, it wasn't suppose to happen that way" Nathan said, as stood up. "Look we just found out about the baby to, I told Lindsey she should talk to Lucas, I really didn't know that it was all coming out last night"

"I believe you man, but I know that your wife was behind it" Chase said, as he glared at Haley

"You don't know nothing and, you can't prove it either" Haley said, bitterly

"No I can't, but let me tell you both something, And you can pass this along to your whore of a friend to. Peyton's gone, we can't find her, and Lucas is falling apart. So If I was you, I would pray that he finds her, because if he doesn't you are all in for a hell of a ride." he smiled, as he walked out of their room.

"Please, Luke will be so much better without her, once he realizes that, then everything will go back to normal" Haley said, as laid back down

"What are you talking about" Nathan asked, as crossed his arms of his chest.

"Look Lucas doesn't belong with that rich, know it all cheerleader, he belongs with Lindsey and their son. And one way or another they will be a happy family again. He loved her once and take my word he will love her again. Once we get Blondie out-of-the-way." Haley said, with a huge smile on her face.

"I can't believe you, Lindsey cheat on him Haley, she even told him she wasn't in love with him anymore. Just because you miss having her around you think you can play with people's lives." Nathan was pissed, "I don't even know you anymore, you're sure not the girl I married years ago. Let me know when she comes back." he said, as he walked out the door.