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

A/N: Hi everybody! Just want to say thanks to all you readers and especially reviewers as always. I love writing but without you there wouldn't be any inspiration to continue, so thank you to each and every one of you. With that said, I know many of you are hoping for a Nathan/Peyton reconciliation soon, and I'm sorry for that. I hate disappointing anyone, but it's just not time yet. I promise they're endgame. It'll just take them a while to get there and I'm hoping you'll all stick around for the journey. Now enough rambling and on to the chapter, which is why you're here. LOL. Hope you enjoy!

Oh, and most of the dialogue between Lucas and Karen comes from the show.

"What?" Peyton asked a grinning Rachel when she hopped back in the car.

"You're totally playing him," Rachel replied.

Peyton, who'd been in the process of putting her seat belt on, cocked an eyebrow at her redheaded friend. "Come again?" she said, snapping the buckle in place.

"I saw that kiss," Rachel answered by way of explanation. "Not to mention that smug smile on your face when he said he wasn't giving up." She hadn't heard their entire conversation but she'd caught the last bit since Nathan had spoken it louder than the rest. He'd had to in order to be heard since Peyton had been walking away from him, increasing the distance between them.

Peyton shook her head. "Smile?" Peyton asked, choosing to ignore the kiss comment. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Oh, I think you do," Rachel teased. "I'm not saying it's a bad thing," she stressed, as she pulled out of the driveway onto the road. "If anybody deserves to be played, it's Nathan."

"I am not playing him," Peyton denied strongly.

"Hey, no need to get defensive. I'm on your side here," Rachel told her. "It's about time the puppet master became the puppet."

"Ok," Peyton said with amusement. "I don't know what you've been smoking, but I'm starting to wonder if I should be worried about riding with you?"

"Don't try to change the subject," Rachel remarked lightly. "Admit it, it feels good to be holding the reins for a change. So do your thing, girl. Like my granny used to say, let him chase you till you catch him. And then reel him in."

Peyton chuckled. "That's not what I'm doing."

"No?" Rachel scoffed. "So, you're not playing hot and cold? Giving him just enough to keep him wanting more and then pulling back?"

"No!" Peyton exclaimed. "Tonight, well, I was worried about Brooke, and…and he was too…"

"I'm not talking about the hospital," Rachel cleared up. "I'm talking about that kiss."

"No, no," Peyton quickly piped up. "He kissed me."

"Uh huh, and you let him," Rachel pointed out. "And kissed him back."

"For five, ten seconds tops," Peyton argued amicably.

"Right, just enough to keep him coming back," Rachel said. "Welcome to the game."

"You're crazy," Peyton accused. "And not only that, you're wrong," she told her friend firmly.

"Ok," Rachel gave in, yet her tone and smile suggested she wasn't convinced.

Peyton opened her mouth to say more, but instead decided to let it go. Her playing Nathan. What an absolutely absurd allegation.

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"How was your night with Peyton?" Karen asked Lucas Saturday morning.

Lucas shrugged. "Great at first." He went on to tell her about the phone call that had them rushing to the hospital.

"Oh my goodness, that's horrible," Karen gasped. "Is her friend all right?"

"As far as I know, yeah, but Haley and I left."

"Why would you leave Peyton alone in those circumstances? I thought I raised you better than that."

"She wasn't alone," he said defensively. "She had Nathan."

"Is she back with him?"

"Prior to the hospital, no. By now, more than likely."

Karen gave her son a sympathetic smile. "I'm sorry, my boy. I know you've always had a huge crush on her."

Lucas chuckled despite the circumstances. "Mom, guys don't have crushes."

"Oh, what do guys have? The hots?"

"Mom," he said, shaking his head. It was several seconds later when he spoke again. "Dan was there too. He said something."

Karen sighed, waiting for her son to elaborate. When he seemed hesitant, she questioned him. "What now?"

"He said to ask you what really happened back then," Luke said, playing around with his cereal. "Any idea what he meant?"

"Who knows?" Karen answered, not liking the sounds of where this was going. "It's Dan."

"Yeah, but, I don't know," he said quietly. "He was talking about what kind of father he was. Was he just messing with me?"

Karen took a deep breath for control, knowing the day had come. She needed to tell him the truth. "Lucas," she said, taking his hand. "You know that I always have your best interest in mind. Since day one. You believe that, right?"

"Yeah," Lucas replied without hesitation.

"Well, um, after you were born…" Gosh, this was more difficult than she'd even imagined. But she had to tell him. "Dan asked to be in your life."

Luke's eyes narrowed on her as he took in what she just said. "You told me he never showed up. That he didn't want anything to do with us."

Again Karen took a deep breath. There was no stopping now. "He didn't show up at first," she said. "But when he moved back to town with Deb, he told me that he'd like to help raise you," she admitted. "And he asked for joint custody," she continued, looking into his eyes to gauge his reaction. "I said no."

"Why?" was all he asked.

"I didn't trust him. And Dan was ready to sue until his lawyer told him since he had left me and gotten another girl pregnant his chances weren't good." She wished he would say something, but his eyes alone revealed hurt and anger. "You know what Dan is like," she told him, her voice coming out a little desperate. "I had to make a decision. I had to do what was best for you." He'd still said nothing up to now so she went on. "And I knew that someday we'd be having this conversation, but that was a risk I had to take."

Lucas had heard enough. His mind was spinning and he couldn't make sense of what his mother was saying. All he understood was that she'd lied to him for years and that his father, whom he'd spent his whole life hating for abandoning him, had indeed wanted him. "I have to meet Haley," he said, rising from his chair and walking out the door without another word.

"Lucas," Karen tried to call him back, but he was already gone.

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Dan sat in his office at Dan Scott Motors that afternoon, pouring through some of the paper work that had been piling up. He'd fallen behind ever since he'd started leaving work early to ensure Nathan showed up for tutoring sessions. Sure he could hire someone to take care of it, but the last accountant he'd hired had been incompetent and made a complete mess of everything. You just couldn't find good help these days. He was mulling over a particular sale when Karen came storming in.

Dan stood up to greet his high school sweetheart. "Karen," he said with a smirk. "Finally ready to trade in that beat up ole mustang for a newer model?"

"I wouldn't buy a car from you if my life depended on it," she fumed.

"Oh, come on now, I'll even offer you financing. I hear your little café's doing well so I'm sure payments won't be a problem."

"You are despicable," she spat.

"Just lending a helping hand," he said with a shrug.

"Stay away from my son," she said contemptuously, pointing her index finger at him.

"Ah, so that's what gotten you so riled up," Dan replied smugly. "The truth's finally come back to bite you in the ass."

"How dare you!"

"No, how dare you, Karen!" he bit back, now angry himself. "I'm tired of being the bad guy here. I tried to be in the boy's life and you wouldn't let me. That's all on you and it's about time the kid knew that."

"Yeah, you wanted to a part of his life so bad, you asked me to get an abortion!"

"One of us had to think clearly," he argued. "Lord knows you were far too emotional."

Her hand raised and suddenly he felt a sting on his left cheek.

However that didn't stop him from pressing on. "But since you decided against it, I had a right, as the father, to be in his life."

"And you could have been, but basketball was far more important, wasn't it?" she screamed furiously. "You left."

"I came back."

"With a wife and son!"

"Right, so out of spite, you kept me from Lucas and have played the innocent victim ever since. But you know as well as I do that you were the one standing in the way of the father/son relationship Lucas and I could have shared. It's easier to blame it all on me though, isn't it?"

Karen felt her face go red with rage. She couldn't believe he was turning everything around to make himself look better. It only made her angrier that nothing he said was untrue. She had to get out of there before she did something she would regret. "Concentrate on your chosen son and leave mine alone," she warned before stomping out.

He paced his office in fury for several minutes before an older lady entered his office. She appeared to be in her sixties at least and he doubted she was even 5 feet tall.

"Are you Dan Scott?" she asked.

"In the flesh," he replied. Before he could even ask what kind of car she was interested in purchasing, she had reached up, and her open hand had connected with his left cheek.

"That's for calling my husband and telling him I was in your bed!" she thundered.

Dan's eyes widened in surprise. "I'm sorry, ma'am, but this has to be a mistake."

"You're darn tootin' it's a mistake," she said. "I was playing bingo all evening. I don't carry on with scoundrels like you."

"Ok," Dan began, but she cut him off.

"You're just lucky it's me who came here and not my husband. He was an officer in the army and would give you a good beating for that foul mouth. Be thankful I stopped him from coming down here."

With that, like Karen had just moments before, she stormed out.

For a long time, Dan just stood there stunned. Two slaps within ten minutes of each other. And the same cheek at that. That was a new record. He could understand Karen, but the little old lady? What the hell was that about? And then it came to him. He picked up the phone and dialed home. "Nathan," he said, when his son picked up. "Have you been making prank calls again?" By the time he hung up after hearing the story, he sat back in his chair and just had to laugh. What else was there to do? Tim. Why didn't that surprise him?

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Peyton and Rachel spent the entire weekend at Brooke's – Brooke wanting for nothing during their stay, as they scurried around playing nurse, maid, and whatever else the brunette needed to make her comfortable.

"How you feeling?" Peyton asked when Brooke joined them at the kitchen table Sunday afternoon.

Brooke grunted in response as she plopped herself into a chair.

"That bad?"

"My bones literally ache from staying in bed so long," she whined.

"Oh, well, you should have gotten up sooner," Rachel said.

"Yeah," Peyton added. "No one forced you to stay in bed."

The two girls laughed at the death glare Brooke shot them, knowing they had insisted Brooke remain snuggled under the covers.

They spent the afternoon chatting up a storm, the topics of conversation whatever came to mind. It so happened, that it had now turned to Chase Adams.

"He's been calling all weekend," Rachel told Brooke.

"I know," Brooke replied, burying her face with her hands. "I feel so guilty."

"Why?" Peyton asked.

"Because he's so…nice," Brooke answered as though that were a most horrible character trait.

"What's wrong with that?" Peyton asked. She noticed Brooke and Rachel lock eyes and narrowed her own. "Ok, what's going on?"

"Well…" Brooke began hesitantly, knowing her best friend wouldn't approve. "You know Chase is a clean teen."

"Ok," Peyton acknowledged, then her jaw dropped as she began to clue in. "B. Davis!" she exclaimed. "Tell me you didn't corrupt that sweet, innocent boy!"

"No," Brooke replied haughtily.

"Good."

"I didn't get a chance to," Brooke mumbled.

"Brooke!"

"It was Rachel's idea," Brooke accused childishly.

"What?" Rachel exclaimed.

"You're the one who said I couldn't get him to sleep with me."

Rachel suddenly smiled triumphantly. "And he didn't, did he?" she gloated, holding her hand out.

"That so should not count," Brooke complained even as she dug through her purse and slapped the hundred-dollar bill in Rachel's hand.

"You put money on it?" Peyton asked, though it really didn't surprise her.

"More interesting that way," Rachel claimed with a casual shrug. "But you're right, Brooke. Who knows what would have happened if you hadn't collapsed, so here," she said, holding out the bill.

But Brooke shook her head, refusing to take it. "No, I'm pulling out," she said seriously. "I mean, how horrible would I have to be to play a guy who sat for hours in a hospital emergency waiting room to make sure I was ok?" She shook her head once more. "I can't do it."

"Fine," Rachel said, slipping the money in her pocket. "I win by default."

The money wasn't important anyway. Both Brooke and Rachel's parents provided well for their daughters, at least financially, if nothing else.

"Ah well, don't worry about pulling out of the game, Brookie," Rachel said. "We have a new player in town, who I think will prove to be just as entertaining."

Peyton rolled her eyes. "I am not playing him," she repeated what she'd said in the car.

"Who? Lucas?" Brooke questioned.

"I don't know," Rachel said, looking directly at Peyton. "You playing Lucas too?"

"Too?' Brooke asked with confusion.

"I'm not playing anyone," Peyton replied, throwing a nearby dishtowel at Rachel.

"Oh, come on. Tell Brooke about the kiss."

"You kissed Lucas?" Brooke exclaimed open mouthed.

"No, she kissed Nathan."

"Oh," Brooke said in relief. She still wanted Nathan and Peyton to work it out after all. "When?"

"Friday night," Rachel answered. "Just before coming here."

Brooke's eyes went straight to Peyton. "Does that mean…?"

"No," Peyton replied.

"Then why…?"

"Moment of weakness," the blonde admitted. "Look, it didn't mean anything."

"P. Sawyer," Brooke chided. "You and I both know a kiss always means something."

"So, Chase seems like a really great guy," Peyton perked up, to change the subject.

"Yeah," Brooke agreed, deciding not to press the issue. Clearly Peyton wasn't up to discussing it. "I think we've established that already."

"Are you gonna see him again? Without the false pretenses, that is?"

"I don't know," Brooke replied. "I don't think he's really my type."

"You have a type?" Rachel asked. "Aren't hot and horny your only requirements?"

"And what are your requirements?" Brooke challenged.

"Hot and horny," Rachel admitted nonchalantly.

"Here here," Brooke said as she and Rachel clinked their water glasses together.

"Don't you two ever want more than that?" Peyton asked.

"Like what?" Rachel questioned. "A boyfriend to take us for granted and treat us like crap?"

For a second Peyton just stared at Rachel and then she nodded. "Point taken." She wasn't in any position to lecture.

About an hour later, Rachel left, claiming a hot bath was calling her name. She'd given her two friends a hug goodbye and told them she'd see them tomorrow at school. Brooke had thanked her for staying, to which Rachel replied no thanks were necessary. She knew her friends would do the same for her if need be.

Another half hour passed as Peyton and Brooke bantered casually over various topics. After a while, Peyton reached into her purse and pulled out the picture that had taken over so many of her thoughts lately. She'd come to take the picture, along with the one of her and Nathan at the beach, everywhere she went. She was glad to be on good terms with Brooke again because she really needed to talk to her about this. She handed the picture over to her best friend and told her to look at the woman in the background.

Brooke did so, thinking back a few months earlier when Nathan had dropped by her house, pissed over another argument with Peyton. He'd told her all about the picture and the fight that had come out of it, and she'd told him that he needed to go apologize to Peyton right away for making such a ridiculous claim – that, after all Peyton had been through, the last thing she needed was her jackass of a boyfriend pointing out some random woman in a picture, telling her it could be her birth mother. But as she paid attention, she could see where he was coming from and why he hadn't been so quick to let it go. "Wow, this is who Nathan was talking about," she said aloud. The resemblance was uncanny.

"He told you?" Peyton asked.

"Yeah. Are you mad?"

"No."

"I told him he was nuts," Brooke said.

"So did I," Peyton admitted. "Well, I had a few more choice words for him. But he was right. He just wanted me to look at it and I flipped out at him."

"In true Peyton fashion," Brooke teased.

Peyton stuck her tongue out in response, unable to refute the claim. "Well, it'll make up for some other assy thing he's done that I never found out about," she joked. "I'm sure there are plenty."

"No doubt," Brooke said in agreement.

"It's really her, Brooke," Peyton spoke softly.

"Peyton, are you sure? It could be just a coincidence." She didn't want her getting her hopes up.

"No," Peyton said forcefully. "It's her. I can feel it."

Brooke nodded before glancing back down at the picture. "It's weird," she said. "I've probably seen this a hundred times and haven't noticed."

"I know," Peyton replied. "But don't feel bad. I didn't notice her either."

"So, what are you gonna do?"

"I don't know," Peyton answered honestly. "Any suggestions?"

"I think this is something you need to decide for yourself."

"I know, but what would you do?"

"Honestly? I have no idea. I mean, this is huge." She looked at Peyton, who seemed disappointed by her answer. She was looking for advice and Brooke didn't have any to give her. "I'm sorry I'm not being much help."

"No, you are," Peyton assured her. "Just talking about it helps."

"Well, I'm all ears," Brooke offered.

"Do you think it would be…disrespectful if I wanted to meet her?"

"You mean to Anna?"

"Yeah," Peyton said with a small nod.

"No, not at all," Brooke told her reassuringly. "It's not like you're looking to replace her, right."

"No one could ever replace her."

"Exactly, so no, it's not disrespectful. Don't even think that for a second, ok?"

"Ok," Peyton said with a quivering smile, her eyes starting to fill up with tears. "I'm so glad you're ok, Brooke, and that we're friends again."

"Oh hon, we never stopped being friends," Brooke told her, standing up to wrap her arms around the blonde. "We just got stuck on pause for a while."

Peyton giggled despite her tears.

"Just like you and Nate," Brooke said firmly. She pulled away a little. "It's ok for me to say that, right? Cuz that's totally not the same as interfering."

Peyton just laughed harder and nodded. "Yeah, it's fine. I'm pretty sure I know where you stand on the subject."

"Come here," Brooke said, pulling in again for a hug. "I love you, P. Sawyer."

"I love you too, B. Davis."

Once Peyton had pulled herself together, they once again sat across each other. "I guess the only thing I can do is ask my dad about her when he comes home because I wouldn't know where to begin. I don't even know her name."

"So you've decided? You're gonna meet her?"

"I think so," Peyton replied. "But I reserve the right to change my mind."

Brooke nodded. "Of course. It's a woman's privilege." And just maybe Peyton would change her mind about a certain raven-haired Scott boy too, Brooke thought with an inward smile.