Chapter 11

General POV

"I'm hungry."

It'd been the third time Haley had mumbled that in the past hour, and so far, nobody had helped to solve her problem. They hadn't thought about grabbing some snacks after leaving the orphanage.

It was night now, around 9, and they'd just crossed over the welcome sign to Tree Hill. They had about 10 minutes before they entered the heart of the town. Lucas was behind the wheel now and he just hoped Haley could last a little longer till she got home. He was tried, and just wanted to crash in his bed.

"I'm hungry," Haley repeated, trying to get anyone's attention.

"So we heard," Brooke sighed into the makeshift pillow she made. "Nathan, provide for your wife."

"I don't see you pulling out anything to eat," Nathan fired back.

"I didn't marry her."

Haley shot a curious glance at Nathan, waiting for him to do something. She didn't mean to act like a child but she was hungry and it would only get worse.

"We're nearly home," Nathan spoke softly. He was clearly tired too. "I'll make you dinner."

"And breakfast," Haley countered. "So you better be up early tomorrow because we have class too."

"Oh god," Brooke moaned. She'd completely forgotten what day it was tomorrow. "We have school don't we?"

"Unfortunately." Lucas wondered how the new school year would shape up when he thought about something. "Where's Jack going to stay?"

"Damn," Nathan mumbled. "I haven't thought about that. Call Keith, he might have a place."

"Already on it," Lucas dialed the number and waited till the familiar voice answered.

"Luke, where are you?" Keith asked.

"We just got in," Lucas answered, before hearing a familiar voice in the background. "Is that Whitey?"

"Yeah I'm at his place."

"Why?" Both Lucas and Nathan asked.

"Place is being fumigated for the next couple days, needed a place to crash," Keith explained. "But listen, we got to meet tomorrow. For obvious reasons."

"Of course. But I gotta go, just wanted to check in."

"Alright Luke. Night."

The dial ended and left everyone a little stumped.

"Why's he at Whitey's?" Nathan wondered.

"Bigger problem," Haley interjected. "We still don't know where to put Jack."

Lucas pulled the car near the curb and stopped in front of Peyton's house. He eyed the mirror to see Jack had pulled up right behind him.

"Let's just go ask," Lucas said, turning towards the others. "And someone wake up Brooke."

"I'm up," Brooke whined back, hating all the noises. She heard the slam of the doors and jolted forward. "Where the hell are we?"

"Peyton's," Haley answered. She slowly walked out and gave a quick stretch. "God that was long. I'm still hungry by the way."

Nathan groaned, but was saved by Peyton. "I got some food in the house if you want?"

Haley watched as her friend grabbed her stuff and made her way over. She seemed normal enough, or as normal as could be after being stuck in the car for 8 hours with someone she didn't know very well.

"Thanks Peyton, but we gotta head home," Nathan explained, ignoring the distressed face of Haley's hunger. "Besides, we gotta figure out what to do with Jack. Needs a place to crash tonight."

"Well he could take the couch at are place," Haley offered.

"Same here," Lucas added. He thought long and hard for a second before scratching the back of his head. "On second thought, my moms probably gonna have my head. We have a plan C?"

The sound of another door closing alerted them. Jack stood watching near his car. "We passed by a motel, I'll just crash there for the night. No big deal."

"What? No!" Haley looked back and forth towards her husband. "Come stay with us. We have a perfectly comfortable couch."

Nathan smiled faintly. "It's yours if you want in."

"Look I appreciate it, but seriously, the motels fine." Jack appreciated the help, he really did, but he didn't want to over step his stay. "I'll probably need it for a few days anyway, before I find a place. Last thing you need is me on the couch for a week or two."

Haley felt defeated as she thought of the logic. He was right, she knew, it just didn't sit well with her.

"I got an idea," Peyton cut in. "Just crash here. You guys know I have the space and the beds."

Peyton could feel the stares on her but she shrugged it off. They hadn't exactly become best friends, or friends, or anything for that matter, but she knew Jack a tiny bit that she was comfortable enough with giving the guy a bed to sleep on.

"Beats a couch," She continued. She turned to Jack. "Saves you money, and until you find a job, that should help right?"

Jack didn't understand why these people we're offering their homes to him. He'd literally known them for under 24 hours and all of a sudden they were going to IKEA and window-shopping.

"You sure Peyton?" Haley asked.

"Yeah." She turned to Jack one last time. "Your choice Jack. Up to you. Couch, bed, or motel?"

He really didn't mind the motel, would have beat his living conditions that last few weeks by a long stretch. Yet he didn't have much money to work on, and he knew the smart thing was to save it.

What the hell. Jack thought. "You sure it's fine?"

Peyton smiled warmly. "Wouldn't have offered in the first place. Now I don't mean to be rude, but I'm beat, and we have school in the morning."

Brooke had been watching everyone offer there left limb for Jack to sleep on before her best friend had sealed the deal. To say she was nervous was a tad of an understatement. She knew everyone was semi comfortable now with the newest Scott, but sleeping in the same house, that's a different story.

"I'll stay too," Brooke blurted out, forgetting her need to sleep. "That way we can go to school together tomorrow."

The five of them saw right through her lie. "Really?"

"What?" Brooke asked innocently.

Jack smirked a little at the girls act. She didn't trust him, which was smart. The others had given him the keys to their house, but she hadn't.

Nobody said what they we're all thinking, but a silent admission was passed between them. Jack had noticed the careful looks Lucas and Nathan had given the girls before turning to him.

It wasn't like he'd do anything; he wasn't that type of person. But it was nice to see how they all looked out for each other.

"Alright then," Lucas broke out slowly. "Will see you guys tomorrow then."

Jack POV

Jack watched his brothers give him one last nod before taking off. It was the first time he'd acknowledged them as that and if he was being honest, it felt completely off. He never had time to wonder if he'd ever have siblings growing up. Every second of his childhood was focused on just trying to find any form of steadiness.

Yet here he was, in some tiny town in North Carolina with two brothers trying to make him a part of their life.

In past experience, people weren't generally this nice. With the exception to Jen and Ed, he could maybe count on one hand of genuinely good people he's met over his lifetime in New York.

Maybe things we're different in Tree Hill, or maybe it was just his family, but he wasn't sure how to go about it. His whole life spent being the dirt under someone's shoes, and now he had people showing him around a home that made him envious of their lives.

"So this is where you'll sleep," Peyton opened the door to her spare bedroom. It wasn't much, but it defiantly beat the backseat of a car. "There's two pillows but I could look for more if you want."

Jack was momentarily caught off guard from the room, that he hadn't processed what she had said.

"No, it's fine," He thanked her quickly, trying to be as polite as possible. "It's great, really thank you."

Peyton and Brooke watched as he tentatively walked into the room and towards the bedroom. It couldn't have been more simple, with it's double bed, boring décor, and storagey smell.

"So will leave you to it," Peyton smiled. "Goodnight Jack."

They gave him one more curious glance before closing the door behind him.

Taking a deep breath, Jack collapsed onto the bed and closed his eyes. The loud sounds of New York use to be the only thing he could hear in the distance whenever he fell asleep. So intruding at times but after so many years, a routine. The silence in Tree Hill was out worldly to him.

It was like a crypt.

The only sounds of his heavy breath were all he heard as sleep was coming quickly. He wanted to change, maybe get ready for the morning too, but he was tired. It'd been a long and stressful day, and soon, without notice, he found himself drifting off.

But not before thinking of Jude's face.

General POV

"I can't believe you gave him my bed," Brooke mumbled angrily. Where was she going to sleep now? "You think he's sleeping yet? Maybe he can take the couch."

Peyton shook her head at her friend's futile attempts. "He's tired, and a guest, and he is not sleeping on the couch. Final, end of discussion. Besides, I didn't know you would be coming."

Brooke threw her hands up in defensive. "What was I supposed to do? You offered your house to a stranger P. Sawyer. I couldn't let you stay here alone."

"He's not a stranger Brooke, he's Lucas and Nathan's brother."

Brooke rolled her eyes as she followed her friend into her familiar bedroom. "Please, you're in a car with him for 8 hours and all of a sudden your super close. Did something happen in the car ride?"

The tone didn't go unnoticed by Peyton. "Is that jealousy I hear?"

"What? No!" Brooke denied quickly. She looked at Peyton seriously, all jokes aside. "I'm just being cautious."

"You're being guarded," Peyton corrected.

"Well whose fault is that!"

The two stared at each other quietly. Brooke hadn't met to say that, but deep down she knew that's what she wanted to say. She yelled at Lucas and yelled at Peyton but somewhere inside she was still made.

She wasn't sure if that'd ever go away. For so long she'd done a good job hiding it, but at times like this, she couldn't hold back.

"I'm sorry," Peyton whispered.

"I didn't mean," Brooke started but was stopped short of her friend's pleading look.

"You did mean it, and quite frankly I deserve it." Peyton paced around the room before falling onto her bed. "I messed up Brooke. So much last year. I hurt you, I hurt myself, and right now I'm just trying to pick up the pieces."

"Pey…."

"I know it seems stupid," Peyton continued. "But I'm just trying to do the right thing, like Luke and Nate did finding their brother. I felt so shitty the past couple of months, but doing this, the right thing, it feels good. Who knows, maybe we wake up tomorrow and the house is empty and Jack's gone. If that's the risk of helping someone when they need it, I dumb enough to take it."

Brooke smiled sadly at her friend. She was hurting, maybe not the same way Brooke had been, but she could truly see now that it hadn't been easy on her too.

"Fine," Brooke caved, lying next to her friend on the bed. At times like this, it was if they were kids again. "You're doing the right thing here, you really are. I'm just trying to look out for my friend."

"I know."

"So he could stay."

Peyton laughed. "Glad you get your approval mom."

Brooke nudged her friend playfully. "But I swear, I catch him perving at us during the night. I'm calling the cops."

"Deal."

Peyton almost decided in that moment to crawl back into bed and just forget the world for the rest of the day, but she knew she couldn't. That's why she found herself dressed and ready, and that's why she found herself walking around her room trying to get Brooke out of the bathroom and ready to go.

"Seriously Brooke, I will leave you ass here," She called out, tired of waiting.

"It's not my fault, I got nothing to wear!"

Her friend's remarks did little to ease her stressful morning. "And whose fault is that?"

Realizing she had spoke a little too loud, Peyton retreated out the door of her room and towards downstairs. She hoped Jack was ready, cause she couldn't deal with two people taking their sweet ass time.

She half expected to catch him in his room sleeping, but defiantly didn't expect to see him at the counter of her kitchen, sitting with his back towards her, waiting.

"Hey," Peyton greeted, walking into the kitchen to join him. She looked a little guilty. "Did we wake you?"

"No I've been up for the past hour," Jack answered.

Her eyes drifted to the clock, which read 7:30. "Early riser?"

"Something like that."

"I know I mentioned food, but apparently I was wrong." Peyton shuffled through her kitchen and fridge trying to find anything to eat. "I guess I'll have to pick up some stuff later. Sorry."

"No problem." Jack looked around the house before turning to his host. "So what time do you usually go to school?"

"Around 8:30 I guess, but I promised Haley I'd meet her there at 8, which is in 20 minutes."

"Your not going?" Jack asked.

Peyton sighed. "I'm waiting for Brooke. I love the girl but she takes too damn long getting ready."

"Isn't there a bus she could take?" Jack felt stupid seeing the way Peyton laughed out loud. He wasn't sure what was funny but Peyton's face made him smile a little. "Something wrong with the bus?"

"No no, of course not," Peyton said, trying to catch her breath. "But I haven't seen Brooke Davis on a bus in about two years. Not since she got her car. She couldn't stand those things."

"Tough luck," Jack mumbled.

The two sat waiting quietly for the girl upstairs to eventually join them. Five minutes past, and soon ten, and fifteen was nearly around the corner. The entire time Peyton had shuffled back and forth cursing her friend as Jack watched.

He found it a little amusing at first, but was starting to feel a little pity for her.

"You know, I got to meet Lucas and Nathan at the school too before you guys go to class, so I'm heading there anyways." Jack mentioned.

Peyton's eyes widened. "Would you please? You'd save me from killing my best friend."

"You gave me a bed to sleep in, I think I got this."

Jack wasn't sure what happened faster, the smile appearing on Peyton's face, or the way she sprinted out the door with her keys in hand.