A/N: Once again, thanks to all who are reading, and especially to those who are reviewing. Your feedback really makes my day, so I appreciate each and every one. You guys are great.

Disclaimer: I do not own One Tree Hill or any of its characters.

Brooke sat at the kitchen table, flipping though her favorite fashion magazine while Peyton and Nathan went about cleaning the oven, although they stopped so often to kiss that they weren't getting much actual work done.

It hadn't taken Brooke long to get the fighting couple back on good terms again. Clearly all they'd needed was a different, clear perspective, which she'd gladly provided, considering she'd been the cause of this particular quarrel. Sure, arguments were a common occurrence for those two, but she'd been personally responsible for this one.

She hadn't meant any harm but she'd made a mess of things. She'd apologized profusely to both of them – Peyton, because it had really offended her and played on her insecurities within their relationship – Nathan, because she'd gotten him in a tight spot over something he'd had nothing to do with. She'd felt incredibly guilty and it showed in her heartfelt apology. To her surprise and relief, forgiveness, from both Peyton and Nathan, had been instant. Both of them were convinced of the sincerity of her words. Once all was well again, Brooke had gone and told the couple what she'd spent her winnings on. She chuckled as she remembered their expressions.

Flashback Of Earlier

"It all went to you two anyway," Brooke confessed.

"What?" Nathan and Peyton asked simultaneously.

"Those shoes, Peyton…all the art supplies I got you, the CD'S, umm, 3 skirts, I believe 5 or 6 t-shirts, 2 pairs of jeans…"

"Wait, hold on," Peyton interrupted. "You're telling me you spent all your winnings on us?"

Brooke lifted one shoulder. "Well yeah. I mean, I didn't bet for profit; I do have my parents' credit card. It was just fun to be right. So I figured, since the wager was about you two, then I may as well spend it on you two."

Peyton laughed. She'd wondered why Brooke had been randomly buying her things lately. "Well, thanks. Keep going then," she said with a small giggle. "I could use a new wardrobe."

"I thought you might feel that way," Brooke said enthusiastically.

"So, what did you get for me?" Nathan asked curiously.

"Umm, well, those socks last month, that baseball cap…oh!, that basketball sweater a few months ago…"

"What? You can't count that sweater. It was a birthday gift," he said, faking offense.

"It still counts," Brooke told him, sticking her tongue out.

Nathan crossed his arms and pretended to pout. "Peyton totally got the better deal. She got way more stuff."

"Uh, how old are you again?"

Nathan smiled in amusement. "Old enough to know when the scales are being tipped in someone else's favour," he said.

"Well maybe Peyton's just cuter than you," Brooke said with a smile. "But, you know, Nate, you're right," she admitted. "You're an equal partner in the relationship so you should reap just as many benefits."

Nathan chuckled at her choice of words, but agreed with her.

"So tomorrow," Brooke continued, "you and I will go shopping and you can pick out your 3 favorite skirts."

Peyton giggled at her best friend's suggestion, and even more when she noticed the frown on Nathan's face. She wrapped her arms around her boyfriend's waist. "Don't worry, baby. You got great legs. You may want to shave though."

Nathan was about to reply until Peyton stood on tiptoe and touched his lips lightly with her own. He immediately responded, pulling her in closer to deepen the kiss.

End Of Flashback

Brooke looked back over at the stove and shook her head. There they were again, on the floor, each sitting on opposite sides of the open oven door, leaned over it, engrossed in a full on make out session. "You know, it would get done a lot faster if you two focused on the stove half as much as you do each other," she pointed out in sarcastic amusement.

They pulled apart abruptly, both having nearly forgotten Brooke's presence.

"It would also go a lot faster if you helped," Nathan told her.

"Sure," Brooke responded dryly. "I'd be doing all the work while you two play tonsil hockey. I think not."

"What's the matter, Brooke? You want a piece of me too?" Without waiting for her reply, he stood up, went over to her and gave her a hug, followed by a kiss on the cheek.

"What, that's all I get?" Brooke asked, feigning offense. "And you talk about me giving Peyton special treatment."

Nathan chuckled and threw back the words she'd used on him earlier. "I guess she's just cuter."

"Hey!" she exclaimed, giving him a hard push, causing him to laugh even harder.

"Ok, you two," Peyton scolded lightheartedly, coming over to stand with them, "enough flirting before I get jealous."

Nathan wrapped his arms around her. "Hey, no need for jealousy. There's plenty of me to go around."

Peyton gave him a wicked smile. "Oh, it's not that," she said dismissively. "I just don't want to share my best friend," she added teasingly before darting away from him to put an arm around Brooke.

Nathan watched her and couldn't help smiling. He was glad that they'd resolved their differences and that Peyton's sense of humor had returned. "Well I can't help it if I'm so hott that even your best friend wants me," he said with a smirk.

Brooke laughed at his comment. "Yeah, cause I'm the one dreaming about us showering together," she said knowingly, remembering the dream he'd told her about a few months back.

Nathan glanced over at Peyton warily. He hadn't told her about the dream. He'd figured it was better not to. She'd likely misconstrue it.

For a while Peyton had been extremely threatened by his and Brooke's naturally flirty friendship. It had taken her some time before she realized and accepted that it was just harmless fun to them. He and Brooke had actually been friends before he'd even met Peyton; their parents belonged to the same country club, and as kids they were sometimes forced to go to the various charity events. The two had initially met at school, but had become greater friends at those said events. They were both bored; there wasn't much entertainment for children so they'd created their own fun, getting in all kinds of trouble along the way.

As they grew older their friendship only strengthened. Many suspected there was more than just friendship between them; some still did, but though neither could deny the other's sex appeal, the bond they'd formed as friends was too strong to ever risk breaking by taking the relationship further.

When Brooke had introduced Peyton to him at the beginning of high school, he'd been instantly attracted to her. Who wouldn't be? She was gorgeous, he thought; wild, unruly, blonde curls, beautiful green eyes, flawless skin, long, sexy legs – pure perfection as far as he was concerned. That very day he'd asked her out – and she'd flat out refused. He was into a good challenge so he'd asked on a few more occasions, and got the same answer every time. No. After a while, he'd given up. A challenge was one thing, but when she clearly wasn't interested, he wasn't about to chase his own tail.

He'd dated others, but he'd never lost interest in Peyton.

Brooke had kept insisting that she liked him too, but he'd refused to ask her out one more time. So ten months ago, Peyton had taken the initiative and asked him out. To her relief, he hadn't refused. Brooke had been beyond thrilled that her two best friends, whom she knew for a fact had liked each other since the day they met, were finally going to get together. Nathan discovered later that Peyton had liked him all that time too, but had reasons for refusing him. First, she'd heard of his reputation with girls and hadn't wanted to be another notch on his belt. Second, though she didn't believe the rumors about him and Brooke, she did suspect that they were interested in each other, even if they didn't realize it.

Nathan shot Brooke a warning glance. The last thing he wanted was for Peyton to become suspicious of him and Brooke again.

Peyton, however, just laughed, unaffected by Brooke's statement. She knew by now that they were just friends. Of all the girls she had to worry about around her boyfriend, Brooke wasn't one of them "You still having that fantasy, babe?"

Brooke answered, ignoring Nathan's silent threat. "Of course he is. Next thing you know he'll want to make a sex tape with me."

Nathan gave Brooke an evil glare, but Peyton just laughed at her friend's quirkiness.

"The perv would probably keep it too," Brooke continued.

"And store it with his old basketball videos," Peyton joined in, laughing hysterically, causing Brooke to do so as well.

Gasping for air, Brooke flailed her arms up and down. "Can you imagine if it turned up at some party years later and…."

"And everybody just stood around watching it?" Peyton finished for her.

"Uh huh," Brooke responded. "Or worse."

"Using it," they both exclaimed at the same time.

"Oh, eww," Peyton remarked, crinkling her nose.

Both girls dropped to the floor, giggling so much it brought tears to their eyes.

Nathan shook his head in amusement at the scene before him. "Whatever drugs you two are on, where did you get it and how come I didn't get none?"

"Duh, you were busy setting up the camera," Brooke said between breaths, before convulsing back into laughter.

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Damien West took all his frustration out on the punching bag before him. Damn Nathan Scott! Damien was a year ahead of Nathan and that first year he'd been in his glory; star of the Ravens, the one the girls threw themselves at, the guy every other guy wanted to be. He'd had it all – until Nathan showed up the following year and took everything; basketball, the girls, the envy of other guys – everything.

And he was so damn cocky about it too. Like he was the greatest thing to ever walk this earth. Sure Nathan acted like they were friends, but Damien knew better. If he were a real friend, he would have passed him the ball tonight instead of to the bastard brother he claimed to hate. Of course, Nathan had a bullshit excuse – Lucas was the only one open behind the three-point line, he'd said. Was that the best he could come up with? Damien had gone along with every scheme Nathan had come up with against Lucas, and tonight he'd repaid him by favoring the bastard over him.

But that's not the only time Nathan proved to be less than a worthy friend. There was also the matter of Peyton. Nathan well knew that Damien liked her, but had gone out with her anyway. Yeah, he'd made a show of asking if he was cool with it, but still a real friend would never do that. Damien had asked Peyton out probably a hundred times and she'd always turned him down, but for Nathan she agreed. Damn Peyton Sawyer! He would have treated her like a queen, but instead she goes for a guy who treats her like crap and cheats on her constantly. Dumb bitch just lets him do it. Why? Because he's Nathan Scott!

Then there's Haley James – Damien's tutor. Another stuck up bitch. He'd asked her out three times already, but she'd just looked down her nose at him like she's way too good for the likes of him. Damn Haley James! She refuses him, yet hangs out with the bastard Scott. Another damn Scott!

Damn them all! One of these days he'd show them who they were messing with. Until then, he'd just bide his time and act normally.

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Nathan and Peyton plopped down on the couch, finally done with the stove. It had taken nearly two hours to clean it.

"Don't ever cook me breakfast again," Peyton joked. "Or anything, for that matter," she added. "Actually, just stay out of the kitchen altogether, ok, babe."

"Hey, just be grateful I helped you clean it," Nathan replied, chuckling.

"Me be grateful?" she asked in disbelief.

"Yeah. Haven't you heard that rule, whoever cooks shouldn't have to clean too? Besides, you're the one who threw the flour all over it," he teased.

"I wonder why," she shot back. "Someone had to put the fire out."

Nathan's smirked. "Really? Well, from what I recall, things got a lot hotter in the kitchen after you did that then before."

His light teasing earned him a sharp elbow to his side. "Watch it, buddy," Peyton warned him.

"Or what?"

"Or… I may have to cut you off."

Nathan laughed. "Didn't we have this conversation today already? I told you your empty threats don't scare me, Peyt."

She opened her mouth to reply but he cut her off with a kiss.

That's when Brooke groaned in complaint. "Can you guys please stop making out for five minutes and talk to me? I'm bored," she whined.

"If we do that, then I'll be bored," Nathan mocked.

"Very funny," Brooke answered, while Peyton gave him a light slap on the stomach.

"We're sorry, Brooke," Peyton told her sincerely, throwing Nathan a warning look, to which he only shrugged carelessly. "What would you like to talk about?"

"I don't know. Anything."

Peyton nodded her head. "Ok, sure. We can do that."

"Excellent!" Brooke exclaimed, squeezing herself between the two on the couch to ensure she had their full attention, rather than be distracted by each other.

Nathan laughed as she practically sat on his lap. "Geez, Brooke, I know you want me but try to control yourself."

"Uh, Peyton," Brooke said, "I'm sorry to tell you this, but it feels like your boyfriend's really happy to see me."

Nathan rolled his eyes and ruffled her hair, before lifting her slightly and pushing over to give her room to sit in the middle.

"Thank you," Brooke said, sending him her dimpled smile, and then turning her back to him to face Peyton. "So, P. Sawyer, you totally have to take drama class with me next semester," she said excitedly.

Nathan grumbled. "We're gonna talk about school?"

"Not school school," Brooke emphasized. "Just drama class. Bevin's taking it and she says it's totally cool. It's like being a real actress, only you get a credit instead of a paycheck, but still, doesn't it sound like fun?"

Peyton smiled at her friend. "Umm, I guess," she said, much less enthusiastically than Brooke.

"So you'll take it with me?" Brooke asked hopefully.

"Sure, whatever. Sounds like an easy credit."

"Yay! I can't wait," Brooke said, clapping her hands in excitement. "What's so funny over there in the peanut gallery?" she asked when she noticed Nathan snickering beside her.

"You in a drama class," he easily admitted. "You really think you can pull off that whole acting thing?"

"Why not? I'm the Queen of drama, remember?"

"Yeah, your own drama. But you'd have to play someone else, not Brooke Davis."

"I know. I can do that."

"Ok," he replied unconvincingly.

"You don't think I can?"

"No, not really," he openly declared while laughing.

There was nothing like a challenge to get Brooke's feathers ruffled. "Ok, you are so on, hotshot. I'll bet you I pass that class with flying colors."

Nathan smiled. "Still betting? And here I thought you learned your lesson," he scoffed.

"It doesn't have to be for money. If I win, you take me for a nice lobster dinner," she challenged.

"Ok. And if I win?"

"If you win, I take you."

"That's it? Hardly worth it," he claimed dismissively.

"Well, what do you want?"

Nathan smirked, looking her up and down.

"Besides this hot body, horn dog," she warned him.

"Pretty high on yourself, huh? I wasn't even going to say that."

"Uh huh, sure."

"I wasn't, I swear."

"Ok, what then? What do you want?"

He thought about it for a second before answering with a smile. "Season tickets to the Bobcats."

"Deal," she said, putting out her hand to seal the bet. "Oh, but since yours is so much more expensive than mine, then you have to take me and Peyton to dinner if I win."

Nathan narrowed his eyes. "You're just trying to get her on team Brooke."

Brooke shrugged. "Hmm, maybe. So what do you say?"

"Fine," he agreed "If you pass with a 90 or higher, I'll take you both for a lobster dinner," he said,shaking her hand.

Brooke turned to Peyton. "Don't worry, partner. We're totally going to win."

"Yes we are, partner," Peyton agreed, throwing Nathan a look of superiority. "We got it in the bag," she added, showing complete confidence in Brooke's determination.

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Nathan left Peyton's house around 10:00, shortly after the girls had decided to put in that stupid 'dirty dancing' movie. Both of them had probably seen it at least a hundred times already, but they wanted to watch it again. They'd made him sit through it once, and though the movie itself wasn't horrible, listening to them sing Patrick Swaze's praises throughout the whole thing, had been. 'He's so hot! He's so sexy! He's such a good dancer!' Blah blah blah. No way he was going through that again.

He still had two hours before his dad wanted him home, so he went over to Tyler's house, only to discover he'd gone to his girlfriend, Theresa's for the night. So Nathan decided to go to Damien's.

Damien's sister answered the door, informed him that her brother was in the weight room, and told him to go right down. Nathan had been at his house enough times that he didn't need to be ushered down. He knew where everything was. He walked in the room and noticed Damien putting everything he had into that punching bag.

"Whoa!" Nathan said in surprise. "Remind me to never piss you off," he joked.