Both blondes were awoken by a slamming door a few hours after they had both fallen asleep. Peyton ended up falling off the couch, and Lucas slammed his head into the arm of the couch. Peyton, groaning in pain, looked around to see what had awoken her, while Lucas sat up, rubbing his head. He pulled back the curtain above the couch and noticed Brooke's car out front before sinking back into the couch. "Brooke," was all he had to say for Peyton to know exactly what happened. He sat up and helped the blonde off the floor, before looking at her, waiting for her to decide what to do.
It wasn't like they'd done anything wrong, but Brooke wouldn't see it that way, even if she had broken up with Lucas over a week ago, even if she was spending time with Peyton's husband. Of course, it wasn't the same thing, because there had always been something between Lucas and Peyton, a connection that neither of them could explain, or define, mush less anyone else. It took her a moment for the pain to pass so she could think clearly. The fall had jer ked her ribs and slammed her broken leg into the coffee table. "You go out first, and when you're gone, if she's still here, I'll go outside and talk to her," she nodded as she explained her plan, as if trying to convince herself that it was the best thing to do.
After grabbing his things, Lucas did as he was told. Peyton waited until she saw his car drive away before she left the house, spotting Brooke on the porch swing. She hobbled over there on her crutches and sat on the swing, rather awkwardly, because she was still really sore from that fall. Brooke was staring icily straight ahead, and Peyton stayed silent, waiting for the outburst that was sure to come. She was right. "Damnit, Peyton, again? Seriously? How could you do this to me, really? What the hell? You have a husband, and step-daughter, and you're still over here trying to steal Lucas, you backstabbing bitch," the brunette snapped, finally looking over at the blonde.
Gasping, Peyton reeled back, as if she'd been slapped. "Screw you, Brooke. I didn't do anything with Lucas, and you two are broken up anyway. Yeah, he told me you ended the engagement, you, not him. You have no claim to him anymore, and even if you did, we're just friends. Lucas is the only one I seem to be able to talk to, and my husband abandoned me here. You should know that, though, I know you talk to him, and you've been to see him twice since he left town, and that wasn't that long ago. So you should watch it before you throw out accusations. You have no right, and I'd really prefer it if you'd get off my property. If you're not here as my friend, I don't want you here at all," she said coldly.
As Peyton struggled to get up so she could head into the house, Brooke just sat there. Then, much to Peyton's surprise, Brooke started crying. Giving up all attempts to stand, Peyton looked over at the woman next to her, whom she hadn't seen cry in over five years. Even though she had just been mad at Brooke moments ago, she couldn't stop the urge she felt to wrap Brooke into her arms so she could comfort the woman who was once her best friend. "P. Sawyer, I'm sorry. I know I've been a horrible person to you, and I don't deserve your friendship. I'm sorry for lashing out at you, but I saw you with Lucas and I immediately jumped to conclusions that, you're right; I had no right to jump to. I guess I just can't believe that it's over, you know, I've been with him for five years, and we were engaged for one, but it's actually over," she spoke through sobs.
With those words, Peyton pulled Brooke into a hug, stroking her hair, and allowing her to sob on her shoulder. "It's okay, Brookie, and you know why it's going to be okay? We have each other, now. Neither of us may have been there for each other recently, but I'm back now, and you're back, and even if I go back to Savannah, I'm still going to be here for you. We may have lost each other along the way, but I don't want to lose our friendship again. I don't know about you, but you're like a sister to me, and I've lost too many family members to lose a sister too," she said, when Brooke's sobs began to subside.
Finally, the tears stopped, and Brooke felt a bit embarrassed as she pulled back, wiping away the wetness from her cheeks. "I really am sorry, Peyton, and I do want to be best friends again, I really do. Of course you're like a sister to me, and I'd never want to lose that," she said, taking the blonde's hand as they both sat there, and struck up a conversation about their lives.
Both Peyton and Brooke talked about the years before the accident, talking about their lives then, and trying not to bring up anything that would lead to tears. Peyton talked about life with Jake, when it was good, and Brooke talked about the days before things with her and Lucas seemed to come to a stand still. They didn't mention anything about the accident, or anything that had happened since then. It was just easier that way, for the both of them.
After a while, Brooke decided that all three women needed to hang out, and that included Haley. They were just discussing pla ns when Peyton's phone began to ring. Brooke stepped away to call Haley to check that her girls night was okay with her, while Peyton answered her phone. "Hello," she answered after checking the Caller ID, which said Nikki. "mhmm… yeah… sure, that'd be great… okay, see you then… bye," she said before shutting her phone. Nikki was going to bring Jenny to Tree Hill for the weekend when she had her, because she knew that Jake was going to be stubborn, and he probably wouldn't. Peyton really appreciated the gesture, especially from Nikki. They really had become good friends.
It hadn't started out that way, though. For a long time, Nikki resented Peyton, for being married to Jake, and getting to live with her daughter. It had taken a while for things to change. Slowly, though, Nikki began to change, and Peyton noticed that. When the judge granted full custody to Jake after that year, Nikki didn't respond by doing anything illegal, like kidnapping the little girl, like she had in the past. She just worked harder, and turned her life around, so she could appeal and actually have a better chance. One day, Peyton was out at the park, and Nikki showed up, just wanting to spend time with her daughter. The blonde had let her hang out with Jenny for a little while and that was how it started. Peyton started taking Jenny secretly to see her mother, and she began to get to know Nikki, and Jenny liked her mother. By the time she appealed, Peyton and Nikki had developed a friendship, and Nikki got her daughter every other weekend.
When Brooke got off the phone, she approached the blonde. "I have to go to work. I'm trying to set up the building that used to house Thud so I can open up a branch of my company here. Can you believe that Thud shut down? Obviously, after your strip stopped being run, the readers didn't like it as much anymore, and so they stopped buying, and eventually, it just had to shut down. I guess you had more effect on our small little town than you thought," she said with a smirk, obviously proud of her best friend. "Anyway, yeah, I have to go watch the stupid contractors, make sure they don't mess things up. I was thinking Saturday for our girl's day. We'll hit the mall, but only for a little while, because you're a cripple," she teased causing Peyton to roll her eyes, "Then we'll go have lunch, and then we'll return here and hang out for the afternoon. Sound good?" she asked.
Shaking her head, she realized she would be housing Jenny and Nikki. Then she thought, why can't they join the group? They were girls too, after all. "Well, that was Nikki on the phone, and she said she was bringing Jenny here for the weekend, so I thought maybe they could come with us, if y'all don't mind," she said. Brooke contemplated for a moment, before her phone started ringing. She nodded quickly in approval, rolling her eyes at the name on the display on her phone as she turned to walk away, throwing a last wave to the blonde over her shoulder. The brunette was still cursing angrily at the person at the other end of the line as she got into her car and drove away.
For a few minutes, Peyton sat on her porch swing, trying to decide her next move. She just couldn't imagine going back to Savannah and living in the house that was prepared for their baby's arrival. It had still been a few months before she was supposed to be there, but they had done the nursery long before they had found out the sex. Peyton had decided that since she didn't like pink anyway, they would decorate the nursery in neutral colors, so it could be for either sex, just because she wanted to know the nursery was done. Now, after everything had happened, she couldn't go back, not knowing that the nursery was there, prepared for a baby that would never live in it.
Considering that, she decided she should start building a life here for now, because her money was going to run out soon. With that thought in mind, she decided to get a job at the Café. Sure, it probably wasn't the best she could do, but she had heard Karen saying she needed help, and there weren't many jobs for people who had just got their degrees in art in Tree Hill. She got into her dad's car again so she could drive to the Café.
It was awkward driving, but it was her left leg that was broken, so it wasn't completely impossible. Soon enough, she was at the Café and she was quite glad to get out of the car. Her leg was getting stiff, and her ribs still made it hurt to breathe a little bit. She hobbled into the Café with her crutches and took a seat in the nearest booth, because she didn't feel like going any further.
A few seconds later, Karen came over, asking her what she wanted. Smiling up at the woman who had been like a third mother to her in high school, she said she would like an application. "Well, Peyton, of course I'll give you a job here any time you like, but are you sure you want to work here? I mean, you went to college; you can do so much better than a job as a waitress. Not to mention, don't you live in Savannah?" she asked. Peyton answered that she could really use the job. "Okay then, you've got it," Karen said with a smile. "You've got to wait until you're fully healed, though, I won't have anyone on my staff on crutches," she said, in a typical motherly fashion.
There was a time when Peyton would have laughed at that, but she could only muster up a smile. At least it was real, though. Her first real smile since the accident. That was something. "Thanks, Karen, it means a lot to me, and my leg should be healed in about three, four weeks," she said. The older brunette walked around to Peyton's side of the booth and gave her a hug. Peyton responded with a tight hug back, and then Karen had to move on to the other customers. A few minutes later, Peyton left the Café and decided to do the grocery shopping she didn't get to finish earlier. Her dad was going to be home soon, and she had to be able to cook him something, since she was staying in his house for free.
By Saturday, her dad was already home, and Nikki and Jenny were there too. A knocking on the door announced Brooke's arrival before she entered the house, Haley trailing behind her, asking why she had just barged in. "Tutor Mom, this house has been like a second home to me and Larry and Peyton have been my real family. There is no need for me to knock," she said, as she found Peyton, Jenny and Nikki in the living room. Peyton was doing Jenny's hair. "Hey, Jenny girl, how are you doing?" she asked as she placed a kiss on the little girl's forehead. Then she gave Peyton a hug. "P. Sawyer. Are you ready to go?" she asked, giving Nikki only brief notice before ignoring her completely.
After sending Nikki an apologetic look, she finished with Jenny's hair, getting to her feet and grabbing her crutches. Then the four women and one little girl went to the mall. Peyton lagged behind, using her broken leg as an excuse, and soon enough they were all having lunch. Brooke was being pretty awful to Nikki, and eventually, Peyton had to pull her to the side. "Brooke, what the hell is your problem? What has Nikki ever done to you?" she asked, holding her hand up as she correctly read the look on Brooke's face. "I mean now. She's a different person than she was before. She's a nicer person, and for the past few years, she's been the best friend I've had," she said firmly, turning and stalking away from the brunette.
As she reached Haley and Nikki, they were laughing at something, and the l ittle girl ran up to Peyton, telling her that they were laughing at something she didn't understand why it was funny. Brooke came back and wasn't immediately nicer, but she did warm up a bit to Nikki. They didn't become best friends or anything, but she didn't snub the woman anymore, and that was all Peyton could ask for, really.
A little while later, and their girls night moved to Peyton's house, because three of them would be sleeping there anyway, and Peyton's dad wouldn't bug them. They were talking and laughing, and the women were up long after the young girl went to bed. "You know," Brooke said as she was painting Peyton's toenails, as Nikki did her hair, and Haley did Brooke's. "This feels just like high school, except we have Nikki here instead of Anna," she finished. The three women who went to high school together shared a look, then Peyton burst out laughing as she realized they were all thinking the same thing.
It was the first time she'd laughed in too long, and it felt good to her, a little abnormal, like she had to relearn how to use those muscles, but good nonetheless. "You know, I really hope not. That night, Haley ratted me out for doing cocaine, you ratted her out for lying to Nathan about recording with Chris Keller, and we all called you out on the whole friends with benefits, no feelings involved thing you had going on. I hope things are a lot different than then," she laughed, holding her sides. The other two brunettes that were at that sleepover also started laughing, and Brooke threw a pillow at Peyton.
The blonde grabbed the pillow and threw it back, as Brooke turned to Nikki. "Yeah, we weren't the best people in high school, I guess, but we got better. I mean, Peyton hasn't snorted anything since, right?" she asked, looking to the blonde for confirmation, which she received. "And Haley hasn't kissed anymore self-absorbed rock stars and gone on tour with them, right?" she looked to the other woman, who also nodded, rolling her eyes that Brooke even had to ask. "As for me, I've been exclusively dating ever since then, and I don't use guys just for sex anymore," she said with a nod, as if that was a normal statement. Her two best friends shared a look, but neither of them mentioned the fact that it really wasn't.
A little while later, they were all asleep, crashed out on the bed they'd made on the living room floor. Jenny was upstairs in Peyton's room so they wouldn't wake her up while they stayed up, but the young girl certainly didn't have any qualms about waking them up the next morning. She climbed over Haley first, then Brooke, then Nikki, looking for Peyton. Finally, there was no one else for her to wake up, and she lay down next to the blonde, cuddling up next to her, and effectively waking her up. Raising her hand, Peyton gently brushed the hair off of her daughters-no matter what Jake said-forehead, and placed a kiss there.
Then the little girl uttered the words she never wanted to say. "I miss you, Momma," she murmured as she closed her eyes, holding on tightly, as if Peyton would disappear. Those four words hit Peyton harder than a ton of bricks. It wasn't 'I missed you, Momma.' It wasn't past tense. It was present tense, like even though Peyton was right there, the little girl sensed that she still wasn't really there, and she missed the person Peyton was. That killed Peyton inside, a little more. It really made her realize that, despite her best efforts, the six-year-old had figured out something was wrong with her, and she just wanted her mom back.
Peyton didn't know if she would ever be the person she once was, but she knew that, if only for the little girl nestled in her embrace, she wanted to be the person she had been. She had never meant to hurt Jenny that way, and now that it had been brought to her attention, she wanted desperately to change the way things were, and go back to how they had been. She just didn't know if they could. It was all so complicated, and hard. She wanted to be who she used to be, but she just couldn't. She wanted to love Jake again like she used to, but she just felt like she was slipping away, and she honestly knew she was. She wanted to not love Lucas the way she did, but now the feelings were always there, flashing like a bright light in front of her eyes, not letting her forget, or go back to the way things were.
More than anything, she wanted her daughter to still be safe, and healthy in her stomach, but that was one thing she'd never be able to cha nge, and it was what hurt the most. To know that part of her died that day, and she'd never get it back, and Jake couldn't help her, and maybe Lucas could, but she wasn't sure if she could even help herself.
The doorbell rang, and her dad answered it, since he was in the kitchen drinking coffee. A few seconds later, her father led a figure into the living room. Peyton could only stare. "We need to talk," the figure stated.
A/N: I'm posting this today, because I don't know if I'll have computer access tomorrow. So, who's happy to have the update a day early? Who wants to review to tell me how happy you are? I hope all of you. Anyway, tell me who you think it is that needs to talk, and whom do they need to talk to. I had an idea in my head, but if you guys want to tell me what you think, your ideas might inspire me to change my plan. Of course, I would credit you if I used your idea. So let me know. Oh, and thanks sooo much for the reviews. I appreciate each and every one of them.
Disclaimer: I don't own anything.