A/N: Hello everyone. I'm back with the next chapter, a day later than I intended but still not too far off from some of my other missed deadline I've attempted to reach before with this fic. Anyways, thanks so much for all the feedback, glad so many of you are enjoying the story. i was gonna do individual responses but I'm at work finishing this now and figured you'd rather have the story now then wait til I get home tonight. I do wanna give a special S/O top all of you guys who have been reviewing the last few chapters: Clarity23, arubagirl092, tyebayinlove4eva8994, ReadingRed, samiam32333, Carson, RHatch89, Bee27289, jasamforlife, bjq, Callison, missmiz, VFBFan, and RHatch89. You're continued interest has made me not give up & inspires me, thank you all!
Now without further adieu, the next part of this fic... enjoy. :)
The Depth of Love's Unchanging Season
~ In the depth of winter, I finally learned that within me there lay an invincible summer. (Albert Camus)
Haley sat on the bench, her fingers thrumming over the chords effortlessly as she worked on her next song. It had come to her in the hospital as she sat in the waiting room and then later as Nathan left three days ago. They had been through a lot these last couple months and she found the words just pouring through her mind in a simple melody and now she was just putting that melody to actual notes, belting out the next part of her song.
"Wade in the water…
Who's that young girl, dressed in red, wading?
You in the water must be the children that Moses led;
Said God's gonna trouble you; Water…
Wade in the water.
Wade in the water.
Find something real, like mountains in the ocean.
Something real, something other than beneath me I can feel;
Like my body in the river.
Make me shiver all over.
Make me shiver all over.
Make me shiver all over,
with love..."
Her fingers continued to move smoothly over the firm strings before she paused briefly to make a notation on the pad in front of her, marking the slight change in register and the small crescendo she added.
"That sounds awesome ," Mia spoke from the doorway, pausing to find the right word, "just amazing Hales."
"Thanks," she smiled warmly. "What are you doing here? I thought you were still in Chicago for that benefit." She stood up almost immediately. "Get over here."
Mia made her way to her mentor, quickly embracing her. "I just got back this morning. I missed Chase and with everything going on with Peyton I thought it would be good to be home."
"I'm sure she'll appreciate that," Haley nodded.
"So how are Brooke and the babies?" Mia asked.
"Good," Haley answered with a smile. "They're all doing really well now so I think they're mostly out of the woods," she passed briefly. "It's weird being so happy about Brooke and my niece and nephew when things are so touch and go with Jake." She let out a shaky breath. "You know about Jake right…"
"That he fell into a coma after his fever spiked," Mia replied. "Yeah, I called Peyton to check in with her and she told me. I wanted to come back then but she wanted me to stay for the benefit since it was for breast cancer research, after what happened with her birth mom and then Jake's dad facing cancer…" she trailed off with a shake of her head.
"Yeah," Haley nodded knowingly. "With everything going on, I just had to get it out and so a song is born."
"Well it's great," she nodded in admiration. "I guess I should go," she motioned to the door. "I'm kind of nervous; I'm not so great in a crisis."
"Just being there means a lot," she replied as she picked her guitar up and laid it across the desk. "I'll tell you what, I'll go with you. I haven't been to the hospital since yesterday and I haven't been able to be there for Peyton as much with everything with Keith and Kayla." She watched as the younger woman turned confuse eyes towards her. "Oh, those are the names Brooke and Lucas came up with: Keith Magic and Kayla Miracle."
"Hmm," Mia nodded thoughtfully. "I like them."
"Yeah, me too," Haley replied. "You ready to go?"
"Yeah," she said as she looped her arm around the shorter woman's. "Thanks for coming with me."
"Anytime," Haley said with a smile as the left the office together.
Brooke lay in her bed going over the recent reports from her main office in New York. The company was still doing well and the men's line had delivered fairly good profits but there was definitely a subtle hit taken with the lack of Victoria in place that was slowly widening its berth. After the initial Joan of Arc type hype had worn off, it was easy to see she'd lost some consumers after the scandal was seen for simply the facts; a man had been murdered and it was in direct correlation to Clothes Ova Bro's.
She reached over for her cell phone, dialing the number of the woman who'd help put her image back out there after the attack and had helped her to set up her woman's centers.
"Liza Devane," the authoritative female voice answered.
"Liza," she paused briefly. "It's Brooke Davis."
"Hey Brooke," you could hear a lightness inserted into her tone. "How the hell are you? Sorry I couldn't make it to the wedding but there is no rest for the wicked," she gave a short chortle. "I saw in the tabloids you went into labor at your reception; how are the babies?"
"They're good," she answered. "They were a little early but they're good now… perfect." She couldn't hide the motherly pride in her voice. "And I'll forgive you for missing the wedding if I can talk you into representing us for another campaign at Clothes Ova Bro's."
"Took you long enough," she laughed again. "I do have a lot on my plate but I'm willing to squeeze you in." Liza paused briefly. "What can I do for you? As far as I can tell from the grapevine, you're company is doing great."
"It is," Brooke replied with a nod, even though she knew the other woman couldn't see her. "We're doing great but I want to do better than great. We've lost momentum since the whole Joan of Arc/Tawanda thing paired with the Woman's Center and BDM and I want to make sure we stay on the top of our game."
"Where naturally I come in," she said self assuredly.
"No one will ever say you have low self esteem," Brooke let out a throaty laugh. "The thing is, no one close to me is running my company; with Victoria gone, me in Tree Hill, and Millie running the new store in Omaha the person running my company…"
"Is not someone you have a vested interest in so you're worried they don't have a vested interest in C/B," Liza finished for her.
"She's not doing a bad job and she came highly recommended," Brooke defended, not wanting to sully the young woman's name. "And Jenni is a fantastic assistant to her but I just feel like we could be doing better."
"I'll get on it," Liza replied. "I'll get with Jenni and my associate Brandon and brainstorm something that'll have you so far in the black you won't be able to see."
"Why are you not on contract," Brooke mused aloud.
"Because like a bird I have to be free," she laughed. "Plus freelance means I get to be paid by you as well as Calvin Klein, Coach, and The Kardashians." She paused briefly. "By the way, when did you get out of the hospital; according to In Touch you're still there?"
"I am," Brooke replied with her own laugh. "Like you said, there's no rest for the wicked."
"I knew we got along so well for a reason," Liza replied. "I'll call you tomorrow."
"Thanks Liza," Brooke said as she hung up the phone before looking up to find her husband's blue eyes looking at her in amusement. "Hey Luke," she said, biting the corner of her lip self consciously.
"I leave you alone for a half an hour and you're conducting business," he smiled with a shake of his head. "I have a surprise for you."
"Do I get to leave?" her eyes lit up brightly.
"Better," Lucas replied before opening the door and pushing in a wheelchair. "The doctor's finally cleared you to go up to the nursery; you can see Kayla."
Rachel sat in the middle of the floor Indian style, flagged by Orianna to the right of her and Jenny on her left as she peered at the cards in her hand.
"Do you have a five?" Rachel asked seriously, her eyebrow quirked.
The two young girls looked at each other before Orianna answered. "Go Fish!"
"Ugh," Rachel said as she began to take cards from the deck. "Alright Jenny, it's your turn."
The blonde tapped her chin gently as she studied her cards. "Okay Miss Gattina…"
"Rachel," the red head corrected.
"Okay Rachel," Jenny started again. "Do you have a seven?"
"Humph," she groaned before tossing the card to the little girl who giggled happily as she scooped it up. "I think you two are cheating," she said with a smile, the lightness in her voice evidence that she was only teasing them.
"Who us?" Orianna said is a sing song voice. "We wouldn't do that mom."
"Maybe Jenny wouldn't but you're my kid which means you would," Rachel laughed just as the door opened behind them. "Hey," she looked up as Owen walked inside. "We're playing a fierce game of Go Fish but we might be persuaded to start over if you want."
"Maybe later," he replied before going over to his daughter and kissing her on top of her head. "Hey Ori," he looked over to the other little girl. "Hi Jenny."
"Hi Mr. Mor-Owen," she corrected herself when she saw his mouth start to open.
"Hi Daddy," his daughter beamed up at him.
"Whose winning?" he asked with a smile, though Rachel could tell it didn't reach his eyes.
"I can tell you whose not," Rachel said with a laugh before plopping her cards at her daughter. "Sorry but I have to go talk to your dad."
"That's not fair," Orianna whined.
"Here then," Rachel split the cards and tossed some to Jenny. "You're basically even now."
"And hey, you did have a five," Rachel said as she tickled her daughter's side. "You little cheater!"
Orianna laughed loudly. "Stop Mom," she tried to catch her breath. "I'm…" she couldn't hold in her bubbly mirth, "sorry."
"And I bet you helped her squirt," she turned her tickling fingers to the other little girl who howled in laughter. "That'll teach you both to mess with me," she stood up with her hands on her hips before walking towards the kitchen to find Owen as the girls reshuffled their cards. "Hey, are you alright?"
"Yeah," he nodded as he grabbed a bottle of water from the refrigerator. "I went by the hospital on my lunch break."
"Jake…" she shook her head sadly.
"It's not good Rach," he replied.
"He has to make it through this," she said firmly as she climbed up on one of the stools. "It will devastate Peyton if he doesn't and I don't want to think what it'll do to that little girl in there, to lose her father."
Owen nodded solemnly. "He's become my best friend you know."
"I know," Rachel quickly stood up and made her way around the counter to embrace him, puzzled when she felt him stiffen at her touch. "Okay, that's it." She pulled back from him. "I let it go since there were more pressing life or death things going on and I know that it's still going on with Jake but you started pulling away from me before Brooke or Jake were even in the hospital so what the hell is with you?"
"What are you talking about?" he asked as she took a few steps back.
"Don't play dumb with me right now," she shook her head in frustration, turning back to look in the living room to make sure the kids were still occupied. "Look, I finally took a chance and you told me you loved me…"
"I do love you," he reached out to hold her hand. "If you don't know anything else know that I love you and Ori; the two of you mean everything to me."
"I don't doubt you love your daughter," she said as her eyes looked down at the floor, unable to meet his. "It's me and you I'm talking about." Her voice took on a harsh whisper, ever aware of the children nearby. "You've been pulling away from me since we made love and if you think it was a mistake then fine Morello, just give it to me straight alright but I can't deal with this limbo crap. I've been through this kind of thing before with some guy wanting and not wanting me at the same time and I can't do that again."
"What guy?" he couldn't help but be curious.
"It doesn't matter," she said. "I need to know where you stand."
"You know where I stand Rachel," Owen said as his chocolate orbs meet her lighter caramel tone.
"Do I?" she looked up into his eyes, "Because you have that same fight or flight look in your eyes I used to get every time I ran scared." She paused briefly, taking his silence as a cue. "I'm going to take the girls out for some pizza; you think about what you want." She turned away from him as she went to gather the girls before leaving him standing alone.
Peyton sat in the chair in the waiting room, anxiously awaiting the moment she could return to her vigil beside Jake's bedside. It had been three days since his health had taken a turn for the worse and he'd slipped into a coma. No matter how much she tried to block the memory from her mind, it kept replaying in her head.
"There's a lot of people in here," Jake spoke as he wriggled uncomfortably in bed. "It's so hot."
The tears rolled down her cheeks as she looked on helplessly. "It's okay," she reached out a gloved hand and stroked his, saddened that his delusions had gotten worse. "You're going to be okay, just stay with me," she gave his hand a tight squeeze when he lolled his head to the side, trying to keep him awake. "Don't fall asleep."
"I'm tired Peyton," he mumbled as his eyes grew heavier.
"I know you are but the doctors want you to stay awake as long as possible," she explained as she moved closer. "Soon, they'll find the right medications and I'll take you home so you can keep your promise, okay?"
He gave a slight nod, trying to keep his heavy lids from closing.
"You have so many people waiting for you to get better," she continued talking. "Your parents and Jenny and me," she blinked back a few tears. "And all our friends; Owen's already been by twice today. So you have to fight."
"Ti-tired," he mumbled again.
"Jake baby, you have to stay awake." Her green eyes were wide with fear as his head lolled to the side and then he seemed to go motionless. "Jake," she shook him gently. "Jake baby, please wake up!" The tears seemed to pour out of her eyes now. "Please don't do this," she grasped his face between her hands. "Jake baby, please, please…" she collapsed against him and sobbed.
Peyton vaguely remembered a nurse removing her and then the doctor saying Jake had slipped into some fancy named coma but all she knew is it felt like the bottom had dropped out of her life once again; that she would always be the tragic girl that everybody left.
She felt a hand squeeze hers in comfort, leaning into the man who had become her rock over the past few days.
"It's going to be okay Peyton," the deep sienna man said soothingly as she leaned her head against his shoulder. "He's a strong man and he's going to use all that strength to fight like hell to get back to you and his daughter." He paused briefly. "I could tell how much he loved you last time I was here."
"Thank you Derrick," she said sincerely as her red rimmed eyes glanced up at him. "I-I know this must not be the way you wanted to spend your leave…"
"You're my little sister," he cut her off. "That means anytime you need me, anywhere; I'm here."
She gave a silent nod before leaning back against him, absorbing his quiet strength.
"Peyton," the blonde looked up as a familiar voice called out to her. "Hey," Mia said as she sat down next to her, wrapping her in a hug.
"What are you guys doing here?" the distraught blonde looked between the two women.
"We're a family and that means we're here for you and Jake when you need us," Haley knelled in front of her before giving her a hug and sending a small smile Derrick's way. "He'll come back to you Peyton," she said comfortingly. "Sometimes they come back."
"Sometimes they come back," Peyton whispered as she took comfort in her friend's embrace as well as her words. "He'll come back, he has to."
Nathan ran down the court naturally, juking around the man blocking him before releasing the ball and watching as it swooshed through the net, never even touching the rim. If they had been keeping score, it would have been his fifth three-pointer, but it was just a scrimmage game to prepare them for the real game coming up tomorrow.
"Good game man," Phillip slapped his hand in comradery. "We really missed you around here man."
"Yeah," Nathan nodded. "I missed the team too; it's great to be back."
"So your family's good then?" Philip asked.
"Yeah, they're good now, thanks," he smiled as he thought about his new nephew and niece.
"Hey Scott," Austin, the assistant coach called out to him. "Bobby wants to see you."
"I guess I'll catch you later man," Nathan nodded to Phillip before making his way to his coach's office. "Hey Bobby, you wanted to see me."
"Yeah come on in," the older man looked away from his computer, motioning to him from behind his desk. "It's good to have you back."
"It's good to be back," he replied.
"I just wanted to give you a heads up, we're expecting some scouts for tomorrow night's game and I just want to make sure you're at your best after the time off," Bobby explained.
"I'm good," he said before letting out a deep breath. "Scouts huh…" he couldn't help the nerves in his voice.
"You are ready Nathan," Bobby replied before watching the young man who'd he'd come to think of as a younger brother nod his head. "Now get out of here and get some rest; tomorrow you'll make us all proud."
"Thanks man," Nathan said with a smile. "I'll see you tomorrow."
"Tomorrow," he nodded as Nathan exited the office before going back to his computer.
"This is it," Nathan said to himself before looking out at the court one last time, hoping tomorrow his dream of The NBA would be realized.
Owen stood out on the deck, looking out at the skyline. Everything that Rachel had said to him was true; he had begun to pull away and the only reason he could come up with was that he let his fear and anxiety take over, not to mention his recent visit with a man he never wanted to see again.
Owen strolled from the parking lot and up the stairs to Tric, freezing at the sight of the man loitering by the door. "What the hell are you doing here?"
"You left in such a hurry the other day we didn't have time to talk," he answered. "How about that brandy?"
"How about you find it at another bar Stephen," Owen said harshly. "I'm not the same guy from before."
"Neither am I Owen," the older man retorted.
"You think just because you put on fancy suits now it changes who you are underneath," he crossed his arms over his chest defiantly.
"I saw the pretty red head you left with the other night," he continued on as if he hadn't heard the negative comment. "Is she the mom? I heard about your daughter."
"Don't worry about my family," his jaw clenched.
"You are my family Owen," Stephen paused briefly. "You can try to forget that all you want but that doesn't make it true."
"You lost the right to call me family a long time ago," Owen replied. "Whatever you came her for, it ain't happening." He walked around the man to the door before turning around briefly, his voice taking on an even harsher tone. "Stay away from my family; stay away from me," Owen quickly turned away from the man and entered Tric.
"Hey," Rachel said as she stepped up beside him.
"Hey," he turned his head to smile at her. "Ori and Jenny…"
"They're upstairs watching a movie," she answered. "I never imagined myself with my own kid; much less taking care of someone else's too."
"You're great with them," he said before his eyes drifted back out to the sky, letting out a labored breath. "You were right you know."
"I usually am," she forced a laugh, trying to make light of the situation. "You think we moved too fast."
"No," Owen turned back to look at her, grasping one of her hands with his own. "No, I don't but I did pull away from you." He let out a small laugh. "I spent so much time convincing you not to be scared that I just felt like I almost made you take that step with me; that you'd regret it and want out so I…"
"Tried to what, get out first or make it easier for me to pull back too," she rolled her eyes. "Yeah, that worked out great Morello."
"I'm still adjusting to knowing how to accept being happy in my life," Owen paused briefly. "I don't want to give you a bunch of psychobabble or twelve steps speak but I have messed up a lot, I've sabotaged my life when things were going well because I don't know how to deal with deserving happiness."
"And you don't think that I have the same fears you do," Rachel replied. "I hate to break this to you Owen but you're not the only recovering addict here. You're not the only one who freaks out when things are going good and tries to sabotage their life before things implode on their own."
"You're right and I'm sorry I shut you out," he said honestly as his eyes meet hers pleadingly, "but I need you to know Rachel that I love you; that I always have and I always will and there is no doubt in my mind or heart that you are who I want to be with; you and Orianna."
She couldn't fight the tears that welled up in her eyes at the sincerity she heard in his voice. "We are so messed up," she laughed as a few tears rolled down her cheek.
Owen offered her a small smile, his eyes looking at her face in reverence. "That just means we're perfect for each other," he lifted his hands to cup her face as the pads of his thumbs wiped away the moisture from her face. "I love you."
"I love you," Rachel said softly before she stepped closer to him, kissing his lips gently before falling into his welcoming embrace. "I think we're going to be okay," she said as she rested her head against his strong chest.
"We're going to be better than okay," Owen tightened his arms around her. "I would to anything to keep our family safe and happy; I promise."
Lucas wheeled Brooke through the nursery, both of them taking in the sights and sounds of the babies around them. Brooke couldn't control the excitement that washed over her, knowing she'd finally be able to see her baby without the aide of pictures; that she'd finally be able to hold her daughter in her arms.
Lucas helped Brooke out of the wheelchair and into the rocking chair in the room, her hand tightening around his as she moved slowly and adjusted to being mobile after days spent cooped up in bed. She sat patiently as Lucas moved towards the nurse who'd just removed Kayla from her housing and took the baby gently from the woman's arms and walked over to her. Brooke opened her arms almost immediately, smiling as the tiny child opened wide eyes to stare up at her as she was placed softly within her mother's awaiting embrace.
"Hi," her raspy voice was soft as slow tears fell from her eyes. "Hi baby, I'm your Momma. I'm your Momma." Her eyes stared down at her daughter, marveling at every move she made. "She's so beautiful," her voice was filled with awe. "Look at her tiny little fingers," she pulled back the blanket that was swaddled around her, "and her teeny little toes."
"She's amazing," Lucas agreed as he leaned over them, "just like her mom." He stroked his wife's brunette tresses as he gazed down at his two girls before going to get another chair and pulling it beside them just as the nurse wheeled in a second housing. "I think this is the first time they'll be together since the birth."
The nurse stepped towards them, holding their other baby. "Here you go Dad," she smiled pleasantly.
"Thank you," Lucas said as he held his son close to him, both he and Brooke taking in the similarities and differences of their small bundles of joy.
"I can't believe they're ours Luke," she smiled through happy tears. "These are our babies. They're so precious and innocent and…"
"Perfect," he filled in for her, his own eyes glossing over as he took in the sight of his family, feeling such an overwhelming depth of love. "They are perfect," he smiled at her in awe. "You are perfect. I love you so much."
"I love you," her hazel orbs locked onto his blue momentarily before her adoring gaze returned to the tiny wonders in their arms. "I can't wait till we can go home and just be together as a family," she smiled as she looked between her son and daughter, marveling as Keith yawned and Kayla puckered her lips. "This is all I've ever wanted, a real family. This is… this is a dream come true."
"I'm going to make all your dreams come true Pretty Girl," Lucas said as he looked up from his children to his wife. "I promise."
"You already have," she said softly as she leaned over in her chair and rested her head against his shoulder, gazing down lovingly at her twins.
Peyton stood silently by Jake's bedside, stroking his dark brown hair with her gloved hand. She'd finally convinced Derrick to take a break and to get himself something to eat, him having been with her almost non-stop since he arrived two days ago. She was grateful for his presence but she needed to spend some time alone with her fiancé, even if it just meant staying silently by his bedside.
Jake's mother had been by earlier as well, splitting her time between hospital rooms but with as much time as she was spending with her husband and Jake's infection, the doctors felt it would be better if she stayed away awhile to make sure her husband's immune system wasn't compromised after the donation. So far he was responding well and Peyton was glad for that, she just hoped that Jake would be out of the woods soon as well; for her as well as for Jenny.
"You have to wake up," Peyton found herself staring out the window as she spoke. "For Jenny, she needs… she needs you." She sniffed as she felt the tears sting her eyes. "You're such an amazing father and I know we signed papers so I could be her mother and I've always wanted to be Jenny's mom but our family, it doesn't work without you. And I know that's selfish but we just found each other again," she paused briefly as the tears spilled over her cheeks and ran down her chin to her throat. "I know it's selfish but I don't care because with you, with you I feel like I can be selfish because this is not the way we are supposed to end. This isn't," she shook her head adamantly; "this isn't our coda." Her eyes stared off in the distance at the setting sun before she finally turned back to look at her comatose fiancé.
Peyton wandered back to the chair next to him. "Remember, remember down in Savannah," she leaned closer to his bed as she picked up his clammy hand. "I told you that every song ended but that wasn't any reason not to enjoy the music and somehow our song stuck there soon after because I was still so confused and hung up on being saved but we got another chance. We have another chance so you have to wake up because I want to dance with you forever." She let go of his hand and sobbed momentarily into her hands, giving in to the feeling of falling apart for a few minutes before wiping her face. "Our song has been on pause way too long and I'm not ready for it to end yet. Do you hear me Jake, our song isn't over? Come back to me because I can't lose my best friend," she cried as she laid her head down on the bed. "Come back to me…" she stiffened as she felt something drag across her hair softly. "Jake," she whispered as she turned around and was met with his warm brown orbs. "Jake," she cried as she lifted her hand up to his face. "Hey…"
Jake looked up at her face that seemed to glow in beauty from the left over sunlight that spilled in from the window, thinking she looked like an angel. Slowly his hand moved towards her as he reached up to cup her cheek before he finally crocked out, "Hey…"
Albert Camus wrote, "When you have once seen the glow of happiness on the face of a beloved person, you know that a man can have no vocation but to awaken that light on the faces surrounding him. In the depth of winter, I finally learned that within me there lay an invincible summer."