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

A/N: Hey guys, here's the latest chapter. Hope you enjoy it. Thanks to all the readers and special thanks always to the reviewers. You're all awesome.

Nathan awoke with his head nearly pounding out of his head and his bladder about ready to explode. He sat up slowly, momentarily confused by his surroundings. He realized he was at Peyton's – he even vaguely recalled banging on her door, but most of the previous night, or early morning rather, was a blur to him. He did remember bits and pieces but for the most part it was an unsolved puzzle.

He glanced over to the love seat and frowned when he noticed both Peyton and Brooke asleep on both ends, their necks kinked in a way that couldn't be comfortable. He stood up, groaning softly when the room spun. When it finally stopped, he went over to the girls and gently tucked a pillow under each their heads, frowning deeper when he noticed the bruise on Peyton's cheek. He wondered what happened as he lifted their legs and placed them on the couch, careful not to wake them, and covered them with a blanket. And then he moved on to a more urgent matter – answering nature's call. Once that was taken care of and his hands were washed, he went to the medicine cabinet to retrieve some aspirin. That's when he took in his battered appearance and everything that happened at his house with his parents came back to the forefront of his memory. He shook his head, grabbed the pain relievers and made his way to the kitchen for a glass of water.

Holding the pills loosely in one hand, while the other rubbed his bleary eyes, he entered the kitchen, freezing when he came upon Larry and Ellie sitting at the table. He somewhat recalled seeing them last night but he hadn't expected to meet up with them in the kitchen. He'd just assumed everyone was still asleep.

The uneasiness his drunken mind had failed to feel last night now swept over him and he began to shift restlessly on his feet. He could at least be glad that this time, unlike a few months back, he wasn't caught red handed with a whip cream container, he and Peyton both half dressed in her bed. But still he was uncomfortable and he wasn't sure what to do in the face of the man who'd always despised him, and he especially didn't want him to know that he'd helped himself to their medicine. He closed his hand and attempted to shove the pills in his pocket.

As he did so, Ellie spoke, breaking the tense silence. "Good morning," she said. "We weren't expecting you up so early."

Nathan glanced up at the clock as he continued to fumble nervously with his pocket. Almost 9:00. "It's kinda late for me actually," he responded. "I'm usually up at 5:00 or 6:00. Mostly because my dad makes me, but…"

He stopped when one of the pills landed in his pocket but the other missed its mark and rolled onto the floor. His face went pale as it landed at Ellie's feet and she bent to pick it up.

"Aspirin," she said to Larry, whom she knew would want to know what drug Nathan was consuming in his house.

"I'm sorry," Nathan began. "I just had a headache and…"

"Oh, I know all about those headaches," Ellie said with amusement. "I used to get them all the time. My cure was always another drink but since you're underage, yeah, you should probably go for the aspirin," she said, rising to place the caplet back in Nathan's hand.

Her quip served to remind Nathan that he'd been hammered last night and that they knew it. Just great, he thought uneasily. Way to go dumbass, he berated himself. Like her dad doesn't hate you enough as it is. He met Larry's gaze tentatively. The man hadn't yet spoken and it only made Nathan even more anxious around him. "Ok if I have a drink of water?" he asked. Had it just been Peyton, he'd have helped himself, but he certainly didn't feel right doing so in front of her dad.

"Be my guest," Larry permitted.

"Thanks," Nathan replied with a cough, unsure of what else to say. He really couldn't wait to get out of there. He would have his drink and then he'd be gone. He went to the cupboard for a glass, clearly knowing where they were kept, grabbed the jug of water from the fridge, and poured his glass, his hands a little shaky as he felt both parents' eyes boring into his back.

Larry and Ellie's eyes met and he nodded subtly before she excused herself from the room. That should have maybe diminished some of Nathan's anxiety but instead it had the opposite effect and he was even more uncomfortable standing alone with Larry.

"So, how did you sleep?" Larry asked casually, his tone not giving any emotion away. "Couch comfortable enough for you?"

Nathan nodded his head, his eyes everywhere but on Larry. "Yeah, it was fine," he said, then feared that seemed a little ungrateful. "I mean, it was good," he amended. "Great." He mentally berated himself for sounding like such an idiot and raised his glass back to his lips before he could come up with any more adjectives. He nearly choked on its contents with Larry's next words.

"Not quite the accommodations you're used to when you've stayed here, is it?" he asked, chuckling to himself when he noticed Nathan's reaction. He'd always had fun playfully intimidating the boys who'd come around over the years to see his daughter, but this one was particularly amusing to watch squirm and shift uneasily on his feet. Because this one was the one who'd won her heart, stomped on it and tore it to shreds. Repeatedly.

Nathan knew very well what Larry was doing and he knew the older man was getting a kick out of the fact that it was working. But he couldn't help it. He was intimidated because he knew the guy wasn't just playing around. He truly hated him and had never thought he was good enough for his daughter. He was right, Nathan could now acknowledge silently. He never had deserved Peyton, but she'd loved him anyway. He emptied his glass and was about to set it in the sink and make his exit, until Larry told him to hang on to it and have a seat, that he'd make him some breakfast.

"I'm…" Nathan began with dread. "not really that hungry," he mumbled.

"Well, I am," Larry said as he took bacon out of the fridge. "And I hate to eat alone so…sit."

Nathan wondered why he hadn't just asked Ellie to eat with him. It would have made more sense. But he didn't ask, simply sighed softly and did as Larry told him.

For a while the only sound in the kitchen was the sizzling of the bacon as it fried. Nathan didn't speak until Larry asked him how he liked his eggs.

'Boiled,' he thought, but aloud he said. "It doesn't matter. I like them any way." Except scrambled.

"Scrambled ok?" Larry asked.

"Yeah," Nathan replied. At least he didn't completely hate them. He cringed inwardly though when he watched the man scramble the eggs and pour them directly into the bacon grease to cook. Talk about your high fat, unhealthy breakfast. His own dad would have a fit if he saw him eating that. Still he remained silent.

"So," Larry piped up as he stirred the eggs around and put some bread in the toaster. "I couldn't help notice that you're a little beat up. Mind telling me what happened?"

Nathan stiffened and instantly looked away, having the feeling that questioning him was the prime reason behind this breakfast deal. But Nathan was a practiced liar; he'd been doing in for years – to social workers whenever some random teacher cared enough to report his bruises, police officers, hell, he'd even won Peyton over countless times with his false sincerity of never cheating again. Not once had he meant it and yet he'd always manage to persuade her he did so that she'd take him back. Well, until she'd gotten wise to him, that is, and finally had him truly regretting the way he'd treated her. But still, he'd fooled a lot of people with that uncanny ability to lie with a straight face and Peyton's dad wouldn't be any different. "I wiped out on my skateboard," he came up with easily, hoping the guy wouldn't press the issue.

He didn't at first. He simply finished cooking breakfast and then distributed the food evenly onto two plates. It wasn't until he sat down across Nathan and they'd begun eating that he spoke again. "Must have been some fall."

Nathan could almost hear the doubt in his tone, but he'd take care of that. "Yeah," he said. "I was on this ledge and I lost my footing. Fell face first on the cement ground."

"And you're sure that's what happened?"

Nathan nodded before sinking his teeth into a slice of bacon.

Larry eyed him suspiciously for a moment, remembering how the boy had been so resistant to going home last night. Then again he'd found his mother on the floor so anybody would have been traumatized by that. Still, something didn't sit right with Larry. "Tell me what happened to your father's hands."

"I don't know what you mean."

"I think you do. Look, I'm not going to dance around this. His knuckles were bruised, your face is beaten. You see how that might look suspicious?"

"Well, it might look bad, but really it's just a coincidence. Like I said, I wiped out and my dad, well, he works with hands a lot so…"

"Doesn't he own a car dealership?" Larry asked though he already knew the answer. "What? Does he work on the cars himself?"

"Not really, but at home he's always got like, projects going on. Like right now he's building more shelves in his home office."

"Is that the truth?"

"Look, I know what you're asking, alright? My dad didn't hit me. He's not like that."

"I'd really like to believe that."

"Well, you should because it's true." And Nathan knew at that moment that he'd convinced him. And right then, the doorbell sounded.

"I got it," they heard Ellie from the other room.

-- -- -- -- --

Meanwhile Peyton opened her eyes, immediately glancing over at the couch to check on Nathan, as she'd done so many times in the last few hours. To her surprise, rather than finding Nathan sleeping, she found Ellie, Brooke and Haley sitting there in quiet conversation. She sat up, concern etched across her flawless features.

"He's in the kitchen with your dad," Brooke informed her.

Peyton's eyes widened. Was that supposed to make her less tense? "Ok, why?" she asked.

"Your father wanted to talk to him," Ellie stated.

"Since when?"

"Since he showed up here covered in bruises."

"Oh, ok, so he's not actually talking to him. He's grilling him."

"Something like that."

"Damn it. I'd better go save him," she said as she stood up.

"From what?" Brooke asked. "Big bad daddy Sawyer."

Peyton just rolled her eyes at the comment.

"Sit down, Peyton," Ellie said. "Your father's just trying to get some answers."

"Right. By giving Nathan the third degree? That's the last thing he needs right now. He's been through enough."

"And your father knows that. He's not going to add to it."

"He is adding to it by being in there with him. Nathan knows my dad hates him so he's probably feeling uncomfortable as hell right now. In fact, I can guarantee he's itching to get out of there."

"It's ok, P," Brooke said. "I know what you're worried about but your dad just wants to help him. Maybe it's time someone does."

Before Peyton could respond, the doorbell sounded and Ellie stood up to answer it with a shout toward the kitchen that she had it.

Both Peyton and Brooke went to the door when they heard the voice of Dan Scott asking for Nathan. Haley, however, watched from her position on the couch.

"What do you want?" Peyton asked coldly.

"To talk to my son," Dan replied, just as coldly.

"Well, you can't. He's asleep."

"Well then he's been sleeping long enough. Wake him up. I'll wait right here."

Peyton scowled deeply at the nerve of the man and her temper rose at how coolly he stood there, like he wasn't such a vicious monster. "Nice hands," she said snarkily. She hadn't actually intended to draw attention to them but seeing them enraged her, knowing those bruises had come from bashing in Nathan's face.

"Mind your business," he warned.

"Nathan is my business," she returned hotly, her arms folded across her chest. "Unlike you, I actually care about him."

"Is that right? It's my understanding that you dumped him months ago. Am I wrong?"

"Look, you need to go," Ellie said.

"Not until I see my son."

"You mean your punching bag?" Peyton snapped.

"Peyton," Brooke said cautiously, pulling her off to the side. "You need to calm down."

"How can you even call yourself his father?" she continued, despite Brooke's warning.

"Peyton," Brooke tried again. "This isn't gonna do any good." As much as she would also love to rip into Dan Scott, she knew that no amount of ranting and raving would change the man.

"A father is supposed to love and protect their children," Peyton went on. "But you, you cause his pain and make sure he's just as miserable as you are."

"P., stop," Brooke ordered in a low enough tone so only Peyton could hear her. "This is only gonna make it worse for Nathan."

Normally that would have been her cue to stop – she'd never consciously make things worse for him – but she was blinded by rage and Brooke's words came upon deaf ears.

Nathan and Larry, having heard the commotion, emerged from the kitchen in time to hear Peyton's next biting remark.

"But you're not gonna hurt him again and you know why? Because if you do, you'll have to answer to me."

"Peyton!" Nathan hollered, coming over to stand in front of her. "What the hell are you doing?"

She finally snapped out of her rage with Nathan's thunderous voice. The disapproving glare he sent her way shocked her at first, until she realized what she'd just done. She'd revealed what he'd told her in confidence. He'd opened up to her with the expectation that it was between them. He'd trusted her not to say anything and she'd just spilled everything in her angry outburst. She sent him an apologetic plea but she didn't have time to voice it before Dan spoke.

"So, he's not sleeping after all." He glanced over at Nathan. "I expected you home by now. Let's go," he commanded in a tone that brook no argument.

Nathan nodded solemnly in compliance. "I'll just grab my jacket," he said, turning toward the living room where it hung over the arm of the couch.

"I'll wait outside," Dan said even though Nathan had his own vehicle there. He wanted his son following right behind him when they left. "And don't dawdle."

Once Dan was out of sight, Peyton rushed to Nathan's side. "Tell me you're not going with him," she said horrified as he slipped on his jacket.

He didn't respond; in fact, he didn't even look at her, just fished through his pockets for his keys.

"Nathan," she called desperately, grabbing hold of his arms. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean for any of that to come out."

"Yeah, well, that doesn't really matter now, does it?" he muttered. "You promised, Peyton," he added in a low tone.

"I know and I'm sorry. But maybe this can be a good thing. You know? Maybe now things can get better for you."

"Better?" he asked incredulously. "You think you threatening my dad is gonna make things better?"

"It will if you don't go with him."

"If I don't go with him," Nathan repeated softly. "You make it sound like it's a choice."

"It is."

"No, it's not. What do you expect me to do? Just never go home? Where am I supposed to go? It's not like I can just stay here forever."

"We'll figure something out…" Peyton began.

"You can stay at my house," Brooke offered. "My parents are always MIA anyway."

He sent Brooke a chilling look that nobody else but her understood. She'd held this secret of his since long before he'd even met Peyton and he wanted her on his side. But it was out now and there wasn't anything she could do about it. And maybe Peyton had the right idea, even though she'd come by it unintentionally. Maybe it was time to do less of what Nathan wanted and more of what he needed. "This has been going on too long, Nate," Brooke told him. "Enough is enough."

"Where's my keys," he grumbled angrily as he continued to try, unsuccessfully, to find them in his pockets.

"Nathan," Peyton pleaded. "You don't have to go. Take Brooke's offer and be free of your dad once and for all. Please."

"Where the hell are my keys?" he repeated irritably.

"Nathan…"

"Peyton, you don't get it, ok. I don't want to be free. My dad loves me."

"Well, he has a hell of a way of showing it."

"He shows it every day by being there."

"You're comparing him to your mom but that doesn't make him perfect."

"I didn't say he was perfect. And what? You think your parents are so much better? A mother who ditched you at birth and a father who's spent more time at sea than with you?" And while Larry and Ellie exchanged glances over his remark, he turned to Brooke to unleash some of his venom on her. "And you? Like you said, your parents are gone most of the time. They barely call or even send emails, but yet they're somehow better than my dad? How about you tell them enough is enough, huh?"

"Nobody is saying anyone's better," Brooke said, knowing exactly why he was lashing out. They'd implied that Dan didn't love him when his whole life he'd always felt more loved by his father than his mother. "And I know he loves you, ok," she continued, knowing her thought process was right when his features softened at her acknowledgement of Dan's love. "But he has a problem, Nate," she said, remembering saying those very same words about Nathan himself not so long ago. "And he needs to fix it."

Nathan's shoulders slumped and he glanced over at Peyton again, who now had tears streaming down her cheeks. He cursed his stupid habit of speaking whatever came to mind without thinking it through. "Peyton, I'm sorry. I didn't mean that about your parents." A car horn sounded outside, indicating Dan's impatience. "I have to go."

"Please don't," Peyton begged. "Nathan, I'm scared for you."

And that just made him regret his harsh tone with her even more. "Well, don't be," he said softly. "It's gonna be ok."

"No, how can you say that? It's never gonna be ok. He's never gonna stop."

"I'm a big boy, Peyt. I can handle it."

"But you shouldn't have to. You shouldn't have to be scared of your own dad."

He sneered at her. "I'm not scared of him," he responded, though Peyton figured that had more to do with his pride than anything else. He would never admit to fear – at least not in the presence of nearly half a dozen people.

He lifted his hand to gently wipe away her tears, or at least try to, but it was useless because the steady stream continued. "I'll be fine. I promise." His fingers tenderly ran over the bruise on her cheek and again he frowned as he started to recall her tale on how it had happened. Tripped over her shoe lace. He hadn't questioned it last night – had been too groggy and disoriented to. But now clear minded, he realized that both Peyton and Brooke had lied to him. Her father had replaced the living room carpet a few months back and since then nobody was allowed in there with their shoes. It was a rule Peyton hadn't dared to break.

"Did I do this?" he asked warily, fearing he had, but hoping he hadn't. He'd been completely wasted last night and though he hated to think he could raise a hand to her at any time, the combination of drugs and alcohol, along with his already volatile temper, had left him in an unpredictable frame of mind and he had to wonder what he was capable of in such a state. And why else would Peyton and Brooke make up that lame story if he hadn't done it?

Peyton was shaking her head, about to restate her original claim that she'd tripped but Nathan cut her off before she could say it.

"Please don't lie to me, Peyton. I know you weren't wearing any shoes."

Peyton looked down to the ground but made no response.

"I did it, didn't I?" he pressed. "Peyton?"

"It was an accident," she assured him. "You didn't mean to do it…."

Shame gripped him like never before as he struggled with the idea that he could do this to her. "Damn it!" he said, pulling away from her. "I never should have came here last night. Or you should have slammed the door in my face. Everyone's always telling me I need to watch my temper, but do I listen? No. Instead, I take it out on you…"

"No, Nathan, it wasn't like that. You didn't lose your temper. You were dreaming and you accidently hit me in your sleep."

"Great," he muttered. "So apparently unconscious me is an even bigger ass than normal and doesn't have any qualms about hitting a girl," he said in torment.

"Stop it, Nathan. It was an accident. Nobody blames you, not even my dad."

The car horn went off multiple times outside, reminding Nathan of what he was supposed to be doing.

"Peyton, where are my keys?"

"How should I know?"

"Didn't you make me give them to you last night?" he asked, that bit of information starting to unfold in his memory.

"Right," Peyton scoffed. "Like I could make you do anything."

"Peyt, I'm not playing, ok. Just give them to me."

She looked up at him stubbornly, defiance masking every inch of her face. No way was she just going to hand him over the keys and send him off with his abusive father.

"Fine," he gave up, heading toward the door. "I'll come pick up the car tomorrow."

"Nathan…"

"Peyton, I have to go," he said impatiently.

"Let me try," Brooke said to Peyton as Nathan moved forward. She caught up to him in the porch, out of ear shot form the others. "Nate."

"Brooke, I'm going home so don't try to talk me out of it."

"I'm not going to. But are you going because you really want to or because you think you have to? Because deep inside you feel like you deserve to be treated this way?"

"Does it really matter?"

"Of course it matters."

"Look, I know my dad can be a hardass, ok, but at least he tries. Don't you wish at least one of your parents would do that?"

"Beat me?"

"No, try."

She nodded in response.

"Well then, can't you understand?"

"I do understand, Nate. It just sucks that you're so desperate for love that you'll accept such a screwed up version of it. It's not supposed to be like that."

"I know," Nathan acknowledged. "But he's kinda messed up right now too. I mean, his wife just attempted suicide and it was because of me so I can't really blame him for being pissed about that."

"First of all, even if what he's going through right now were an excuse, it doesn't excuse all the other times he's hit you before. Second of all, what your mom did wasn't your fault so you need to stop thinking it was."

He gave her a small smile. "Why? Because you say so?"

"Is there a better reason?" she tried to joke back.

"None that I can think of," he said just as Dan honked again. "I really got to go."

"Ok. Listen, you call me if you need anything. I don't care what time it is."

"I will. Thanks, Brooke. And hey, could you maybe talk to Peyt and try to make her see where I'm coming from."

"She already sees it," Brooke said confidently. "She understands, Nathan, but that doesn't mean she has to like it. She loves you, you jerk, so it's really hard to see you getting hurt. For me too."

"It was kinda hot the way she went off on my dad, huh?" he said out of the blue.

Brooke chuckled softly. "I'll let her know you said so," she told him before pulling him into a hug. "Be careful, ok. And do me a favor?"

"What?"

"If he's still mad, could you maybe, bite your tongue? You know mouthing off to him always makes it worse."

"Yeah, I know, but sometimes I can't help it."

"Try."

"I will."

"Swear?"

"Yeah, I swear."

"On Chip's grave?" she asked, bringing up their pet squirrel from second grade as she tended to do occasionally.

"Yeah," he said as he pulled away from her and made his way to his dad's car, opening the passenger side door and sliding in.

Brooke watched as he did so and then went back inside the house. Peyton was still sobbing uncontrollably with Ellie and Haley at her side, and Larry standing by, obviously wanting to comfort his crying daughter but having no idea how.

Peyton glanced up hopefully but her face fell when Brooke walked in alone. And that's when Brooke's face scrunched up as well and she too began to cry.

"He got on with his dad," Brooke said. "I didn't try to convince him to stay," she admitted. "He didn't want me to."

Peyton nodded and went to her best friend, knowing this was killing her too. "I know," she said. "He's so damn stubborn, he wouldn't have listened anyway."

The two best friends clung to each other for the next little while and just cried as they'd done so many times over the years for various reasons.

And Haley began to realize in that moment that, just like she had with Nathan, she had possibly pre-judged Brooke Davis a little too harshly. Because what she saw before her seemed nothing like the superficial, shallow girl Haley had always thought her to be.

"How long have you girls known what's been going on with him at home?" Larry asked when the girls crying had subsided.

"A while," Peyton answered for the both of them.

"And you never told anyone?"

"He asked us not to."

"Well I don't care what he asked," Larry said sternly. "I'll be reporting this in the morning."

"It won't do any good," Brooke stated. "He'll just deny it. He always does."

"And they can't take him out of the home unless he collaborates the story," Ellie joined in to say.

"Exactly," Peyton said. "And he won't. He'll say he fell off his bike or he got in a fight or…"

"He wiped out on his skateboard," Larry added.

"I take it that's the story you got," Peyton guessed.

"Yeah, and I bought it too until we came out here. Kid's a good liar."

"He's had to be," Brooke said.

"Well something's got to be done," Larry said. "I may not approve of him as a mate for my daughter, but I don't like the idea of any kid being afraid to go home and face a beating like he was last night."

"It's not really a beating he was afraid of," Peyton informed him. "It was that his dad would blame him for what happened to his mom like he did last night."

"You're kidding."

"No, he outright blamed him and Nathan was really upset about it. He already felt guilty enough."

"Wow," Haley finally spoke. "I can't even imagine."

"I know, some dad, right?" Peyton mumbled, wrinkling her nose in disgust. "And Nathan sticks up for him, you know. He's really done a number on his boy. He's got his absolute loyalty even though he's an ass most of the time."

"That's because in the other part of the time, he really is a good dad," Brooke said.

"You're defending him?"

"Not really, I'm just saying, he's not that bad all the time. Peyton, you know it's true. But he does have anger issues that he needs to work on ASAP."

"Same as Nathan," Haley said.

"Yeah. Where do you think Nathan got it from?"

A few minutes later Larry suggested they take the conversation into the kitchen so he could make everybody breakfast since he hadn't had the chance to finish his. Haley declined with an excuse, feeling a little bit out of place and went over to Luke's house. Peyton tried to decline breakfast as well, but Larry wouldn't hear of it.

They went into the kitchen where the two half eaten plates still sat at the table. Peyton's brows creased. "You made Nathan scrambled eggs?"

"Yeah, why?"

"No reason, he just usually wants them boiled."

Larry lifted his hands in exasperation. "I asked him and he said it didn't matter."

"Huh," Brooke said. "He doesn't even like scrambled eggs, does he?"

"They're his least favorite," Peyton replied.

"Well he ate them. It was up to him to say something."

Meanwhile

"It's about time," Dan said as Nathan got in beside him. "What's wrong with your car?" he asked as an afterthought.

"Peyton won't give me the keys," Nathan answered honestly.

"Well, easy to see who wears the pants in that relationship."

Nathan simply shook his head and looked out the side window.

"She's fighting your battles for you too," Dan taunted. "She's a tough one. You might learn a thing or two from her."

Nathan still didn't respond but his body went rigid.

"Your mother's gonna be fine, by the way, in case you're wondering. I know, bummer, isn't it?"

Nathan faced his father. "I didn't want her dead." He waited for some kind of response from his father, something that might absolve him from blame in his eyes or at least an acknowledgement that Nathan hadn't meant for things to turn out like they had. But it didn't come. His dad kept his eyes straight ahead and Nathan, with a disheartened sigh, went back to staring out the window. The only other time Dan spoke to him was to remind him that he had a lawyer's appointment the next day after school.

"Well…, you're coming with me, right?" Nathan asked because it really sounded as though his dad meant to send him on his own. And maybe that shouldn't scare him but it did. His court date was the following Monday and that was even scarier.

"We'll see," Dan replied non-commitically. I might be at the hospital with your mother."

Nathan said nothing, just simply looked down toward his shoes, for the first time, in his seventeen years, feeling like he might have actually lost his father's love.

"Hey," Dan said seconds later, nudging Nathan's arm. "You believe me?"

Nathan glanced up at the question but he didn't answer it. He didn't think he was supposed to."

"You're my son. Of course I'm going to be there."

Peyton screamed out in ecstasy as another wave of pleasure overcame her. Finally, she plopped down on his chest with a smile of pure satisfaction. "You definitely make Nathan out to seem like a rookie lover," she said breathily. "I never even knew it was possible to have so many orgasms or that guys could actually last that long. With Nathan I never came and he was like, a total minute man. Not even. But you, oh my, you're just raring to go again," she said impressed. "If I had known this, I wouldn't have wasted a year on Nathan because he definitely doesn't compare to you in any way, shape, form or…size. OH, Damien, baby, YES," she moaned loudly as he entered her.

A loud knock came to his bedroom door.

"What?" he hollered irritably, angry that his pleasant dream had been disrupted.

The voice of his sister came from the hallway. "Mom said if you want breakfast, you have to get up now."

"Go away, I'm not hungry," he barked, anxious to get back to his fantasy.

"Hey," Peyton said later that evening when Ellie poked her head into her room.

"Hey, I'm gonna head out shortly but I wanted to talk to you first."

"Ok, about what?"

"Nathan."

"What about him?" Peyton asked curiously.

"Well, first of all he's a cutie."

Peyton smiled. "Understatement of the year."

"Tell me about him," Ellie said. "But before you do, let's just fast forward through the 'he's got attitude, an unstable home environment, he cheated on you multiple times, lied just as many, he was extremely jealous and possessive and has a bad temper."

Peyton's eyebrows rose higher with each trait Ellie added to the list. "Ok, well, you've pretty much just described Nathan to the letter, except you forgot to mention 'arrogant' but other than that, there's nothing left to tell."

"Sure there is," Ellie said as she climbed on the bed with Peyton. "You see, I've heard all the bad stuff…"

"Oh you have? From who?"

"It's not important because what I want to know is the good stuff. And before you say it, I'm not talking about what he was like in bed. I'm talking about the important moments like, when did you know you were in love with him? What is it that made you fall in love? What is it about him that made you go back to him after so many failed attempts? Why is he the guy that makes your eyes sparkle so beautifully? How do you feel when he walks in the room or when he smiles at you or does something really sweet?"

To Ellie's surprise, Tears sprang to Peyton's eyes. "Ok, that wasn't what I was going for," she said.

"I'm sorry," Peyton replied. "I'm a crier if you haven't noticed. It's just, nobody ever asks about the good stuff."

"So they're happy tears. Good," she added when Peyton nodded in response. "You and Nathan had some happy times, didn't you?"

"Yeah," Peyton said with another nod. "A lot of them. But they tend to get overshadowed by the bad ones."

"Well then, let's just focus on those good ones, shall we? What do you say? Ready to share your stories with me?"

Peyton smiled through her tears and bobbed her head up and down. She leaned into Ellie and they ended up talking well into the night, much later than they should have when Monday morning was just around the corner. But they didn't notice and wouldn't have cared if they had.

A/N: Ok, so I thought I should apologize for the little Damien/Peyton dream. LOL. Just letting you know that even though he's not been in the latest chapters, I haven't forgotten him and it's not the end of him. Thanks guys. Love ya!