'Brooke what's wrong?' Nathan gripped her arms. She'd phoned and ordered they come over, she'd sounded hysterical and now she wasn't speaking, it wasn't really putting his worries at ease.

Peyton. Peyton. She kept saying her best friend's name over and over in her head, yet she couldn't quite verbalise it.

'Brooke? Speak to us' Haley's soothing voice, jolted her from her paralysed state. The brunette ran a comforting hand over her friend's forehead. 'Sweetie?'

'She's alive' Brooke rasped and suddenly she could breathe. Oxygen filled her lungs and it was the best feeling in the world. 'She's alive' She repeated, a little louder this time.

'What?' Both Haley and Nathan were confused, their faces furrowed with concern.

'Peyton' She rolled the name off her tongue 'Peyton, she's alive' Brooke's eyes grew wide with happiness. She didn't give the married couple anytime to register this reeling news. 'I know it, subconsciously I think I always knew it'

'Brooke' Nathan interrupted sternly. 'What are you talking about?'

'She's with Ian Banks'

'Oh my god, not you too' Nathan pinched the bridge of his nose. 'He's dead Brooke, has Lucas been talking to you?'

'He was right Nate' Brooke shook her head adamantly. 'He's been right all along. We've been the worst friends in the world' Tears gathered in her eyes. All the doubt and lack of faith in her friend struck her in an instant.

'How do you know this?' Haley needed some kind of information, anything that would establish that this was more than just gut instinct.

'Michael Smith'

'The guy that was sleeping with her?' Haley's face crumpled.

'She was never sleeping with him, of course she wasn't' Brooke blurted frantically. She went on to explain everything she knew.

'Wait he's here?' Nathan cut her off when she mentioned Michael's actual whereabouts, a feral darkness suddenly consuming his eyes.

'In the living room'

The two girls new that look and they didn't try to stop him. They reached the living room doorway just in time to see a furious Nathan throwing his fist into a petrified Michael's face.

'You fucking bastard' Nathan cursed.

He very rarely lost it these days. He'd been unpredictable and had, had quite a temper on him as a teenager but over the years it had diminished. He'd got married, he was a kind, gentle husband and father.

He'd never felt rage like this before though. It was irrepressible and ferocious. His sister-in-law was in the hands of some psycho and this man had been a culprit in the ruthless crime. His brother was behind bars, his niece robbed of her childhood and this man could have stopped it all.

His numb, bawled fist drew back and connected with Michael's nose for the third time.

'Nate, don't, that's not going to help!' Haley's screech of a plea was the only thing that stopped him from throwing another punch into the mans surely broken nose. 'You think that's going to solve anything?' She exclaimed. 'Just stop it'

'You're lucky my wife's here' He muttered breathlessly.

'I'll get you a cloth' Haley sighed, no matter the circumstance she couldn't help but be the favourable, sympathetic one.

Nathan stopped her though. 'Don't you dare get him anything.' He ordered sternly. 'Do you think he did anything for Peyton? Do you think he got her anything?'

That's all that needed to be said for her to realise that perhaps this man did indeed need to suffer.

She took a step back, taking her side with her husband and friend. 'I'll, I'll go check on Erin shall I?' She'd chosen her side but she didn't want to be here to watch the vile words that were sure to transpire.

She'd not even got her foot out of the door before Nathan's gruff voice sounded again, wasting no time in harassing the young man. 'You're going to sit down and you're going to tell us everything. Everything'

'Sawyer Grace where do you think you're going?' Peyton followed her up the long hall and the little girl giggled, her little legs speeding up to try and escape her mother's arms. It was bath time and she knew it.

Sawyer liked the stretch of tiled floor, it made a great road for her stroller. She liked wheeling all her stuffed animals back and forth, stopping to retrieve them when they flew from their carriage.

'Uhoh' Sawyer came to a unsteady halt, backing up on wobbly legs.

Peyton smiled at the child's comical expression. 'Uh-oh' Peyton impersonated. 'Did your panda fall out?'

Sawyer actively chattered a few unintelligible words at her Mum, holding the stuffed toy out.

Peyton nodded in understanding in the way that mothers do even when their children are talking nonsense. But on a level she was starting to understand Sawyer's made up language, she was her mother and spent every moment of the day with her after all so it was inevitable that she pick up her daughter's vocab.

'Oh dear. Is he hurt? Why don't you give him a kiss all better'

Sawyer thrust the furry animal into her chubby face, giving the soft toy a slobbery kiss.

'Lovely, is he all better?'

'Es'

'Good, now it really is bath-time missy'

She set off at a run at this, abandoning her stroller and making a get away with her panda.

'Sawyer Grace' Peyton scorned, sighing when the head of blonde curls disappeared through a open door. 'No' Peyton followed her into Ian's study. 'We're not allowed in here' She whispered. Things had been better lately. She'd been on her best behaviour and really didn't want to be found in this room, even if it was completely innocent. It wasn't as though she was snooping around, she was simply retrieving Sawyer, but even so she didn't want to take any chances.

'Come out of there you' She crouched down next to the desk, where Sawyer had taken refugee. Stubborn as her mum, she shuffled back to the very back of the desk, kicking her feet when Peyton tried to pull her out. 'You know, you're being a right little madam. I think the terrible twos have started early' She sighed, sitting back on her legs. 'Come on sweet girl, you're really tired. You can have a nice bath and then have your milk and get into bed hey?' Still Sawyer didn't move.

Peyton ran a hand through her hair, preparing to be kicked and screamed at, but as she was about to duck under the desk her eye caught the cell phone laying on top of the oak surface.

She gulped. She'd not seen a phone since she'd been here but then again this room was always kept locked.

Temptation captivated her. It was sitting there, sleek black and inviting, a key. A key to the outside world.

Her hand twitched and she used her other to hold it to her leg.

She couldn't.

She shouldn't.

But damn it she would. Her hand sprung free, snatching the cell with urgency and then she shuffled beneath the desk to join Sawyer in her secret den.

'Mama' Sawyer grinned, seemingly ecstatic that a bath no longer appeared to be on the agenda.

'Shh sweetie, be quiet for Mama'

With shaking fingers, she hurriedly typed in the memorized number. Lucas' cell. She pressed it to her ear apprehensively, briefly wondering if she'd keyed in the correct digits. It had been so long since she'd rung him.

It went straight to voice mail and it suddenly occurred to her that he was in prison. He was in prison and he most definitely wouldn't have the luxury of his phone. She was about to hang up, she couldn't afford to be making such foolish mistakes, but then his voice sounded.

'Hi, this is Lucas, I can't get to the phone right now but leave a message and I'll get back to you as soon as I can, bye'

Her mouth opened and her eyes shut tight. His voice had her heart racing. She wanted to cry out at how beautiful it sounded, she'd forgotten how beautiful it was and in an instant all the longing and hope that had abandoned her, filled her once more. She'd given up but hearing his voice was enough to coax her into action. Sawyer tugging on her shirt, snapped her from her daze. It was as though the infant new they had a limited amount of time to do this. Peyton rubbed Sawyer's chubby arm in thanks, she really didn't have time to be a total girl and cry right now.

Her fingers worked on a new number.

It rung once, twice, three, four, five times and then-

'Hello?' Brooke Davis's voice rasped down the line.

Peyton's words got stuck in her throat.

'Hello?'

She didn't know what to say. How did you start a conversation with someone you'd not spoken to in two years.

'Hello? Is anyone there? Hello?'

'B-Brooke' It escaped her quivering lips in a low, choked whisper.

'Who is this?' She sounded pissed off, she sounded familiar, she sounded like home. 'Hello?'

'B-Brooke, it, it's Peyton'

The line went quiet for a moment.

'Peyton?'

'Yes'

'Oh my god, Peyt' There was shuffling and the sound of something falling to the floor. 'Oh my god'

'Brooke I-'

'Where are you?'

'Louisiana I think'

'Louisiana, ok' Brooke was suddenly upbeat, this was the kind of lead she needed. 'You know where?'

'N-no I, I don't. I really don't. Brooke I didn't run away, I didn't. I'm, he- I'm' She tried to muffle the sob that followed but wasn't successful. Brooke heard. Loud and clear.

'I know, I know everything. It's ok Peyt, we're going to find you'

Peyton frowned, she wanted to ask how? She wanted to ask so many questions but she suddenly felt stupid, this was stupid. She'd just successfully managed to torture herself. Brooke couldn't help her. Asides from a state name, she didn't have any information to aid her friend in finding her. She was in the middle of no where.

'Are you alright?' Brooke's voice went from optimistic to fear ridden. 'Has he hurt you?'

Peyton put her hand over her mouth, trying to stifle another sob.

'Peyton are you still there?'

'H-How's Erin? Y-you have her right?'

'Yeah I have her. She's doing good. She misses her mum and dad but she's doing good, she's the brightest in her class. Peyton, you didn't answer me. Has he hurt you?'

School. She'd not been at school when Peyton had left. She'd missed that important milestone.

It was then that she heard the foot steps approaching.

'Peyt-'

Peyton hung up, shoving the phone behind her. She blinked furiously and tried not to breathe because she knew a loud sniffle was bound to escape.

During her short conversation, Sawyer had lost her battle to sleep and was curled up with her panda in her arms.

Peyton could hear her breathing and she couldn't help but feel that the little exhales were getting louder by the second. So much so, that she was tempted to smother the child's face and try and stifle the sound.

The ticking clock on the mantle piece. The whirring of the computer. The thump of thick leather soles against carpet.

She held her breath, waiting on tenterhooks.

Everything stopped.

The eerie silence filled her with dread and rightfully so, for his head appeared in front of her just a second later.

She jolted back against the wood in surprise.

He laughed. 'Sorry. I didn't mean to scare you. What are you doing in here anyhow?' He questioned, peering into the hidey hole.

'Sawyer came in' Peyton forced a smile and tried to look nonchalant. 'She really didn't want a bath tonight, apparently under your desk is a more preferable bed' She gestured to the sleeping baby and feigned a small laugh.

'Who were you talking to?'

'Talking?'

'I heard you talking'

'To Sawyer I guess'

'You guess?'

'Well who else would I have been speaking to?'

'She's asleep'

'Only just'

His eyes drifted to above the desk and she knew he knew.

'I should put her down in her cot-'

'Who?' His gentle expression disappeared, his jaw tight and a forked crease appearing between his eyebrows.

'What?'

'Who did you call?'

'What? I don't know what-'

'It's a simple question Peyton' He sat down on the chair, looking down on her. 'The police? Or was it Nathan or maybe Brooke? Hm?' She kept her lips glued together.

'I didn't'

'You know I don't like lying. I'm really disappointed in you'

'I'm sorry' She blurted.

'You called someone didn't you? I trusted you'

'I'm sorry'

'Give me the phone' His tone was enough to get her to move, sending an icy chill down her spine.

She fumbled behind her, the phone slipping from her sweaty fingers several times before she managed to keep a tight hold on it and pass it back to it's rightful owner.

'You still haven't answered me'

'Brooke, I called Brooke'

'Brooke'

'I just wanted to hear her voice, I miss her'

He closed his eyes and itched his forehead thoughtfully, his nostrils flaring in anger.

Peyton warily crawled out from the desk, her hands hesitantly coming to rest on his knees. 'I'm sorry' She repeated.

He exhaled heavily, his eyes opening to stare at her kneeling pleadingly before him and it gave him some sadistic kick. She had changed, perhaps not as fully as he'd have liked quite yet but he knew she'd not have bowed down quite so pathetically several months ago.

His fingers ran loosely over her dark hair and came to stop at her cheek, dancing soothingly over her flushed skin.

'Why? God things were goingso well, why would you do this?' He exclaimed. Everything had been going so perfectly and now she'd ruined it. His mind went into overdrive as he comprehended the true ramifications of her actions.

'I miss her' Peyton claimed wearily.

His fingers suddenly dug maliciously into her chin with frustration. 'Do you know what you've done?' He shook her head viciously. 'They're going to be looking for us'

'They can't find us, I just wanted to hear her voice. I didn't tell her anything' Peyton whimpered, trying to ease her face free. 'They won't find us' She said frantically. 'We're in the middle of no where. They can't' She spouted.

His hold tightened at her neck and she suddenly found it harder to breath.

Sawyer had woken with her mother's traumatic cry and was whimpering in the background.

'Y-you're s-scar-ing h-her'

He released her. 'You're the reason she's crying' He corrected. Her dizziness had her toppling backward. She watched through bleary vision as he picked the little girl up. She curled into his chest as he cooed soothingly at her. 'I'm going to get her to sleep-'

'L-let me' Peyton tried, rubbing her neck and scrambling from the floor.

'No. We've not finished talking darling. You can wait right here'

'Let me speak to her Brooke' Nathan had been trying to snatch the phone from her since the second she'd breathed out Peyton's name.

It had hit him like a ton of bricks. She really was alive, he could hear her muffled voice.

'Peyton?' She thwarted Nathan's hundredth attempt, cheer-leading practice had definitely helped with her coordination skills, he didn't have a chance. 'Peyton?' She pulled the phone away from her ear and looked at it. 'She's gone'

'What?'

'It's dead. She's hung up. You think I should ring back'

'Yes'

'No' Michael who'd been quiet for the entirety of the conversation suddenly voiced his opinion, his voice croaky what with his swollen, bloody nose.

'No one asked you'

'P-perhaps not, but you're forgetting that I know this man, probably more so than you. She's most likely hung up for a reason. Either he's taken the phone or, as I hope, she's just heard him coming, either way you can't ring back. You'll risk her safety'.

Nathan clenched his fists.

'He's right' Brooke sunk onto the arm of her sofa, her head in her hands. 'Fuck'

'Well we know she's in Louisiana right'

'But where? That's all she gave us' Brooke looked worried. 'What if he found her talking to me? What if he's hurting her right now?'

Nathan put his hand on his shoulder and opened his mouth to comfort her.

'I've thought of something' Michael muttered, nervously speaking up.

'What?' Nathan snapped in agitation.

'When I, when Peyton spoke to me she said he'd killed someone' Michael confessed. 'Grace, Grace something. Grace....L-Lorrie'

'Lorrie?' Brooke double checked, already on her feet. She disappeared out the room, returning seconds later with a lap top in hand. 'Grace Lorrie?'

'Grace Lorrie, I'm positive'

Brooke efficiently typed the name into google search engine. The name soon cropped up on old news pages.

She was missing. She'd not been found. She was forty three. She had one son. She was a midwife. She worked at a hospital and vanished without a trace eleven months ago after an evening shift.

'The poor women'

'Why would've he killed her?' Nathan frowned in confusion. 'This isn't some sick serial killer, he's a sick perverted psycho but serial killer, no. It doesn't make sense'

'New Orleans'

'What?' Nathan looked over Brooke's shoulder.

'She lived in New Orleans, Grace'

'We'll go there' Nathan blurted resolutely.

'Just because that women's from New Orleans doesn't mean to say that's where they are' Michael dared to point out. 'He had Peyton drugged and taken from here to wherever they are, he could have done the same to Grace'

'It's a starting point'

'We have to tell Luke' Brooke's nose twisted and she closed her eyes. She didn't know that she could look him in the face.

'There's no point telling Luke' The younger brother disagreed.

'What?' Brooke argued. 'There's every point-'

'He can't do anything from inside those walls and getting him out would mean informing the police. This is hard enough on him as it is. It's for the best this way. We're going to make it up to him' He promised and he hoped to god he could.