A/N: Hello all! I'm back with the next chapter and will probably have one up sometime tomorrow as well as I'm almost done proof reading that. Thanks so much for the renewed interest in this story & welcome to all the people reading this for the first time. Anyways, hope you enjoy this next chapter.

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Caught In The Rain part #2

~Weather is a great metaphor for life. (Pepper Giardino)

Peyton stood in the open doorway, watching Brooke and Lucas wrapped in each other's arms, frozen as the tears began to spring from her eyes and blend into the moisture that already covered her face from the rain. She suddenly felt sick to her stomach as her world turned upside down. She'd left in such a rush this morning after Lucas told her he couldn't marry her and found herself at her mother's grave before running into Jake at the studio, realizing she had to talk to Lucas. After all, she'd had her own doubts and they had been through too much to not discuss things rationally. But now, watching her best friend and her ex-fiancé of only a few hours made her feel anything but rational.

"How cozy," the blonde sneered from her place in the doorway, causing the two people in front of her to jump away from each other.

"Peyton," Brooke said softly. "This isn't what it looks like."

"Really Brooke?" the blonde looked at the brunette incredulously. "What exactly does it look like; that my best friend and my fiancé were just in each other's arms, professing their love?"

"Peyton," Lucas paused briefly. "Don't jump to conclusions here. I wanted to talk to you about this, this morning…"

"That you and Brooke have been having an affair?" she interrupted as she walked further into the room. "To think, I actually came back here to apologize for the way I acted this morning; what a fool I've been, when all this time you two have been sneaking around behind my back!"

"We have not been sneaking around behind your back," Brooke defended. "I would never do that to you. The kiss, what you just saw, it just happened."

"It just happened," she repeated. "It just happened! I was bleeding in that school when I kissed Lucas and when I told you it just happened, did you forgive me? You made me beg for your forgiveness and cut me out of your life. I can't believe you, both of you; that the two people I cared so deeply for could do this to me."

"Brooke hasn't done anything to you," Lucas tried to explain. "I called off our wedding because I couldn't hide how I felt anymore; that it was Brooke I was in love with and I wish I didn't have to hurt you. I care about you so much Peyton and so does Brooke."

"You care about me," she shook her head. "Brooke cares about me…"

"I do," the brunette spoke up. "Peyton, I love you. You and I have been through so much. You're like my sister and I would never want to hurt you. This isn't some affair that has been going on behind your back."

"Really?" her green eyes shot daggers. "Then how do you get a baby, his baby? You're such a hypocrite Brooke; I mean who were you exactly when you had sex with my fiancé? Are you going to tell me that just happened too?"

"It isn't what you think Peyton," Lucas began. "I…"

"Save it," she cut him off before looking to his counterpart. "You know, I almost expected this of Lucas," she stepped closer to Brooke. "He never could quite decide between blonde or brunette, love or lust, emotional connection or sexual gratification and believe me, the whole school knew about your skills in that department…"

"Peyton!" Lucas said as he stepped between her and Brooke. "I realize you're upset but you have no right to speak to her like that."

"Well at least for once he's actually defending you," her eyes shot to the young woman she'd known most of her life. "How long do you think it'll take him to switch again, to decide it's me he's really in love with again?"

"That's not going to happen," Lucas stated firmly. "I am so sorry you're hurting Peyton and you have every right to be angry at me because I did this, not Brooke."

"Now you're giving me permission on who I can be angry with," she shook her head. "Thanks Lucas," her voice was full of sarcasm. "Thanks for allowing me to be angry."

"Peyton, I know this hurts," Brooke stepped from behind Lucas. "But we can all get through this; our friendship can get through this. Lucas and I never set out to hurt you."

"But you did, didn't you?" Peyton shook her head. "What is this, some sort of payback for what I did to you?"

"Of course not," Brooke fired back.

The tears began to well up in Peyton's eyes again. "I loved you both and now, I don't want anything to do with either of you."

"Peyton," Brooke's eyes were pleading.

"When this all blows up in your face," Peyton paused briefly, "don't expect me to be there for either of you. I'm free of you." She wiped away her tears. "I'm free of the both of you." Peyton glared at both of them before running out of the door and jumping in her comet, ignoring the calls heard behind her. She reached for her cell phone and dialed the number that had quickly become her life line. "I'm going back to the studio, can you-can you meet me there? I need you..."

Deb watched as Skills stared at her, a blank expression on his face. "Antwon," she waved a hand in front of his face. "Did you hear what I said? I said I'm…"

"Pregnant," he said softly as he reached his hand slowly towards her stomach. "We're having a baby? How… I mean I know how, but we were always careful."

"Apparently not careful enough," she shrugged, a nervous smile appearing on her face. "Oh my god…" Deb looked up as she saw the sky become dark and the wind began to get faster and louder. "We need to get inside!"

The fence outside began to waver in the wind as the wooden posts became detached, one flying directly towards them. "Watch out!" Skills said as he pushed her as gently as he could into the door, the post hitting him in the head instead.

"Wait!" a male voice yelled from behind them, his lanky figure running up the stairs and into the doorway. "The Keller does not do tornadoes."

"Mom!" Nathan yelled from inside, helping her off the floor before helping Skills up, his head bleeding from where the post struck him. "Chris?" Nathan looked at the newcomer quizzically.

Deb and Chris forcefully pushed the door closed before they all ran to the basement, joining Haley and Jamie who were sitting in the middle of the floor on a blanket.

"Oh my God, what happened?" Haley eyes went directly to the gash on Skills' head as she reached for the first aid kit.

"Is Uncle Skills going to be okay?" Jamie looked between his parents.

"Yeah, he's going to be just fine," Deb answered for them as she began tending to his wound.

"Well don't worry about me," Chris replied as he took a seat on the makeshift cushioned area. "I just almost got blown away."

"Maybe you should try eating something," Jamie nodded his head thoughtfully. "You look a little thin."

Nathan and Haley both laughed before she turned to him. "Did it even hit yet?"

"No," Nathan shook his head. "The wind has picked up a lot though but we weren't close to having Chris fly off, as happy as that may have made some."

Chris looked like his feelings were hurt for a moment before he noticed the game sitting on the floor. "Ooo, I love Candy Land."

Nathan shook his head as Chris and Jamie began to play with Haley watching on before drawing his attention back to his mother and friend, who seemed to be as far away from the rest of the group as possible.

"You should be fine," Deb's olive green eyes looked up at his softly before reaching up to cup his face. "Thank you for protecting me." She whispered.

"I'd never let anything happen to either one of you," he replied in the same hushed tone.

Nathan studied them. He couldn't figure out why the two of them being so close bothered him but it did; something just didn't look right and he suddenly wondered why they had been outside so long in the first place.

Rachel sat in the middle of the floor, placing the batteries in the back of the radio. She still couldn't get her mind off the fact that Brooke was still gone and she hadn't heard from her. She'd tried calling Brooke's cell but it just went to voicemail and there was no answer at Lucas or Naley's house. Rachel tried to calm herself, knowing Brooke was a smart girl and had probably sought shelter somewhere safe. She finally got the batteries in and turned on the radio, scanning for storm information.

"…until midnight tonight. Several funnel clouds have been seen up in the sky, one actually touching down just moments ago. So far no injuries have been reported but that may change at a moment's notice if one of these funnels should touch down in a more heavily populated area…"

Rachel looked up as the door opened and Owen came rushing back in. "You're soaked."

"It's really coming down out there," he replied. "But I got the flashlight and the first aid kit out of my car."

"Always the boy scout," she smirked, although it never reached her eyes.

"She'll be okay Rach," Owen said, already knowing what she was thinking. "Weren't you supposed to be waiting in the bathroom anyways?"

"I couldn't worry about you too," she shrugged. "Besides, I found the batteries and got the radio working."

"Good," he said as he grabbed the bag on the counter with water and snacks that Rachel had put together before he went out to retrieve the items from his car. "Since there's no basement, the best place for us to be would be a closet or the bathroom down here."

She nodded as she picked up the radio. "Wait, do you hear that?"

"What?" he rose one of his brows at her. "It's quiet."

"Exactly, maybe it's passed." She smiled at him before walking towards the window to check.

"Rach, get away from the window," he yelled just a siren began to wail and a noise similar to a freight train began to get louder and louder. "Get on the ground!"

Rachel dove down just as the front two windows shattered. "Owen," she yelled through the noise, crying out in pain as she felt a piece of glass lodge in her leg.

"Those who are in the path of the storm are advised to seek shelter in a basement or interior room with cushion or sturdy protection, such as a mattress or heavy tables. Again, stay inside and off the roads if possible. We have just received notice that another one has touched down near the marina and there are power lines and trees down all over town…"

"I think this is the worst tornado storm I've ever seen," Haley said as she leaned her forehead into her hand.

"Yeah," Chris replied. "I hate tornadoes; I think I'm going to stick to LA after this. Earthquakes are much less scary and they are over in seconds. You just stand in a doorway, if you even wake up, and then go about your business."

"Do you want to hold Chester?" Jamie motioned towards the cage. "I always feel better after I hold him if I'm scared."

"You're a sweet kid," Chris smiled. "But I think it's best if we leave him in the cage for now." He turned to Deb. "How's he holding up?"

"I'm fine," Skills replied, knowing he was who Chris was referring to. "And I am sitting right here."

"I thought you passed out," Chris shrugged. "So," he stretched the word out, "very nice although I'm surprised Nathan's so cool with it."

"Cool with what?" Nathan squinted at the man he'd learned to accept as a pest who was here to stay.

"With them," he motioned to Deb and Skills before moving his eyebrows up and down. "I don't blame him though; your mom is a total milf."

"Momma, what's a milf?" Jamie looked up at Haley.

"A naughty word that neither you nor Chris is allowed to say," she replied before turning eyes back to the aforementioned party.

"Sorry," he held up his hands apologetically. "I'm just saying dude, this is very new age of you."

"You don't know what you're talking about," Deb said firmly. "Maybe it was you that was hit on the head."

"If there's one thing Chris Keller knows about, it's this." He smiled goofily as Deb shot him a look.

"Deb," Skills turned to her. "Maybe…"

"Maybe what?" Nathan's voice immediately rose. "You've got to be kidding me! Dude, are you messing with my mom?"

"Honey, it isn't like that," Deb tried to explain, as she and Skills both stood up. "We didn't plan any of this."

"What?" Haley blinked hard. "Skills, are you serious?"

"I knew I was right," Chris said proudly.

"Shut your mouth Keller," Nathan looked between his mother and long time friend. "My mom, dude?" He turned to his mother. "What about that boyfriend you just broke up with?"

"That would be Antwon," she replied. "We meet online before we realized who the other one was and then, things just went from there…"

"I can't believe this," his shook his head in disgust. "He's the one you were… and you…"

"This isn't just physical," Skills tired to explain. "I've wanted to tell you for a long time but Deb was so worried about how you'd take it. This family means everything to her and she didn't want to jeopardize that; that's why she broke things off but I wasn't willing to accept that because I love her." He turned to her. "I love you."

"You've never said that to me before," she smiled. "Antwon, I love you too." She looked up at her son. "I know that this probably seems crazy to you but…"

"Oh my god Nathan," Haley interrupted. "The test you found…"

"You got my mom pregnant?" Nathan pulled back his fist but before he could swing, they heard the alarms start to blare and everyone quickly got down on the floor, Nathan scurrying back to Jamie and Haley. "You feel so warm Hales."

"I don't…" she breathed out deeply. "I don't feel so well Nat…"

Haley's body suddenly felt limp in his arms as the house began to shake and the items on the shelves began to rattle with the whirring sound of the wind.

Rachel sat slumped against the wall of the bathroom away from the sink. Owen had managed to get them both inside the safety of the interior room and had even cleaned up her leg and wrapped it in gaze, although he could see some of the blood had started to seep out. Owen took off his shirt, ripping it and tying it around her leg to help keep more pressure on it.

Rachel attempted a small smile. "Thank you," she shivered a little. "I'm kind of cold."

"Here," he said as he move beside her and wrapped an arm around her. "We should be okay to leave soon and then I'll get you out of here and to the hospital. You'll be fine." He wasn't sure if he was telling her or himself.

"I made a lot of mistakes Owen," her words seem to come out of no where. "I'm sorry for lying to you, before."

"It's okay Rachel," he replied as he pulled her closer. "It's all in the past."

"What if not all of it is?" she tilted her head so she could look up at him.

"I don't understand," his dark eyes stared into hers.

"After you found out about my age, I came back but you were gone. I had to tell you something." She sighed deeply before huddling closer to him. "It's so cold in here Morello."

He began rubbing up and down her arms. "Just keep talking to me Rach; what did you want to tell me."

"That I was sorry and," she reached slowly into he pocket, struggling to get the photograph out before handing it to him. "Here."

"Rachel?" he peered at the photograph of a young Rachel as he'd known her holding a baby in a pink blanket. The Polaroid's color was a little faded but the picture was still very clear. "What is this?"

"If I don't make it, remember Scoot and Associates Investigations," she said slowly, her breathing shallow. "Brooke will fill in the rest for me."

"Don't talk like that, you're going to be fine baby, I promise." He could feel the cold sweat beads that had begun to form on her brow as she slumped forward. "Rachel," he shook her cheek in his palm. "Rachel baby, stay with me? Who is this?"

Her eyes fluttered heavily before opening just a crack before she whispered, "Your daughter." She shook one more time before her head feel forward and she passed out.

"What-Rachel?" he shook her a little harder. "Baby, wake up; wake up Rachel!" He froze suddenly as he heard a loud creaking noise above him before what sounded like a fright train. Owen glanced upwards as he felt the gust of the roaring wind, realizing he could now see the sky and a dark swirling cloud above him. "OH SHIT!"

"Lucas, this is so bad." Brooke paced in his bedroom. "She thinks we had an affair. I have to find her."

"We'll explain everything to her once she calms down," he reached out to steady her.

"How do we explain this to her," she shook her head. "I know what it feels like when the man you love betrays you with your best friend. She was right Lucas; I am a hypocrite."

"We didn't have an affair Brooke," he replied. "We have never snuck around behind her back."

"Maybe not but you were engaged to her Luke and after my attack, I just leaned on you so much," she paused briefly. "Just the way she did after the shooting in the library. And she was right; I cut her out of my life for that. How can I expect her not to do the same?"

"You forgave her Brooke, twice." He ran over his hair as he breathed out deeply. "She wouldn't be a very good best friend if she didn't return the favor. I feel bad that I hurt Peyton and I'm sorry about that but I can't change that. All I can do is hope that we can all move on from this because we've all been a part of each other's lives too long to just stop caring. If she really cares about you, which I think she does, she'll be your best friend the way you were hers."

"You do know this is Peyton we're talking about, right?" her hazel eyes looked up into his. "I love Peyton and I know she loves me but, she thinks you're her soulmate, everyone does. Peyton isn't like me Lucas, she's…"

"Selfish," he supplied for her.

"She doesn't mean to be," Brooke defended. "I mean, I think she'll come around eventually but until then Lucas, we can't be together."

"Brooke, come on." Lucas exhaled deeply. "I love you and you said you loved me."

"And I do love you Lucas, so much," she shook her head. "This doesn't have to be forever but I have to work things out with Peyton first. I let myself get caught up with you and I shouldn't have…"

"Please don't say that," he cupped her face and she allowed herself to lean into his touch. "We can make this work."

"Everything is just going too fast," she shook her head. "What if you do change your mind again? What if something happens and you need to save her again?"

"I'm going to save you this time Brooke," Lucas replied, "only you; for the rest of my life. I love you Brooke, so much."

"I love you too." She shook her head. "But did you see her face Lucas? She looked devastated." She took a deep breath. "I need to go find her."

"Not now," he held her firmly in place. "Not while there's a chance you and our baby could be hurt. We'll take care of things with Peyton tomorrow, okay?" He lifted her chin so she was looking him directly in the eye. "Okay?"

She nodded. "Okay," she paused briefly. "Can you do me a favor?"

"Anything," he replied.

"Can you go get me some water or something?" she asked, giving him a half smile.

"Yeah, I'll be right back." Lucas nodded before walking out of the bedroom.

Brooke waited for him to walk out the room before slowly opening the door and hopping into her SUV, determined to make things right with Peyton before it was too late.

"…another cloud has just touched down in Tree Hill in one of the worst tornado outbreaks in tow decades…"

"So, how are you feeling?" Jake glanced at Peyton before turning down the radio. They were currently underneath Tric in the supply area closet.

"Better I guess," she fiddled with the orange peel in her hand. "I just never thought they'd do this to me. They kept trying to explain but…" she shook her head. "Can we change the subject?"

"Sure," he nodded.

Peyton took a moment before speaking again. "I'm glad you came back."

"Back to the studio or to Tree Hill?" he tilted his head to peer at her through the darkened room, lit dimly by the amber colored light from their Eveready flashlight.

"Both," she answered honestly. "It's been really great having you back here; I missed our friendship."

"Hmm," he nodded. "Is that all it is Peyton?"

"What?" her green eyes looked softly into his brown ones.

"Look Peyton, I know that this probably isn't the right time for this but I let you slip through my hands once and I'm not going to do it again, not if there's a chance for us," his voice seem to almost reverberate in the small space.

She breathed out helplessly. "You're right; this probably isn't the best time. I mean up until this morning I was…

"Engaged, I know," he finished for her. "But I saw you Peyton, when I came back and you weren't happy being engaged to Lucas. When you left Savannah, I told you not to stop believing in the fairytale but you and I both know that that wasn't what you were living with Lucas."

"Jake," she sighed.

"Do you know the real reason I came back here Peyton?" he didn't give her time to answer. "I came back for you. I thought I was doing the right thing; the noble thing by letting you go but it was the worst mistake of my life and since I've been back, I felt alive in a way I've never felt except when I'm with you. Can you honestly say to me that all you've felt for me is friendship because it sure doesn't feel that way to me? Not the way we vibe off of music together, or the way your body fits against mine when I hold you, and not the way you look up at me with those amazing green eyes of yours the way you're looking at me now." He paused briefly as he cupped her cheek, her face glistening with the stray tears that escaped. "I have never, not for one moment since we've been apart, stopped loving you."

Peyton stared back at the man she'd ached for ever since he left on his quest to find his daughter, seeing nothing but love in his eyes and she knew hers were reflecting the same thing. She had searched within Lucas, within the idea of him and her dream and had never found what she was desperately searching for; the reality of a love that may not be right on paper but it was absolutely right for her heart. She had followed her heart once before and it had lead her straight to him and this time she knew there would be no turning back.

"I never stopped loving you either," she smiled through happy tears. "Now, our someday can began."

Jake tilted towards her, pressing his lips against hers in a deep kiss full of longing for the years they'd been apart and she returned his kiss just as passionately. He could taste a hint of citrus and something bittersweet that was uniquely Peyton Sawyer. She wrapped her arms tightly around him and in that moment it no longer mattered that a storm was raging outside because Peyton had finally found what she was searching for and she had finally followed her heart.

As soon as Lucas returned to the room and found Brooke gone, he ran outside into the rain. There was some hail beginning to fall but he didn't care as he saw her SUV at the corner.

"Brooke," Lucas yelled, almost certain she'd never be able to hear him. He'd started to head back to his car when he heard a loud screeching noise, turning around just in time to see a school bus that had come out of nowhere slam into Brooke's vehicle, causing it to flip over.

"Brooke!" he belted out in a way he'd never yelled before as he ran towards her BMW X5, ever mindful of the ditch from the recent construction on the side of the road. "Someone help!"

He ran as fast as his legs could take him, the thought of something being wrong with her or their unborn child overwhelming his senses. They had barely found their way back to each other and the fact that it could be over before it began terrified him. As he rushed towards her, moisture dripping down his face and his vision blurred, he knew he loved her more than life itself. It was not a moment of clarity, far from it. It wasn't a romanticized vision but a true account of something so deep; love hardly seemed big enough to describe it. It was messy and complicated and all encompassing; everything a real love was supposed to be and he was going to make sure he told her that, as he had the last time they were stuck in a storm.

Just as Lucas was a few feet away from the car, he suddenly saw a storm cloud unlike anything he'd ever seen before. It was dark, murky, and very low to the ground with a steamy mist traveling in front of it. The air suddenly seemed warm with bursts of cool air and it seemed to land right in his path, the wind throwing his body through the air into the ditch on the side. The last thing Lucas remembered feeling was a sharp pain in the back of his head before his world went black.

Pepper Giardino wrote, "Weather is a great metaphor for life - sometimes it's good, sometimes it's bad, and there's nothing much you can do about it but carry an umbrella."