A/N: Here's the next one guys. I hope you like it. Five more, then the epilogue. Thank you all readers, and reviewers, you know I love you.
...
Dan Scott begrudgingly threw two pair of socks into his small, open suitcase. "I don't see why we have to spend the entire weekend," he grumbled miserably. "A day visit should be sufficient. We could drive down Sunday morning and still come back Sunday evening."
Deb threw him a look suggesting they'd already been through this. "Because Cooper asked us to, that's why."
"No, he asked you and Nathan," Dan pointed out. "I believe I wasn't included in the invitation."
"Minor details," Deb huffed. True, her brother hadn't invited her husband, but that wasn't going to stop her from bringing him nonetheless. Not when they were trying so hard to put their family back together. "I included you," she said nonchalantly. "Just think of it as a weekend to bond with your son. Lord knows those days have been few and far between lately."
"Tell me about it," Dan agreed. "But you forget, even Nathan doesn't want to go."
"Of course he does," she countered. "He's just upset you've forbid Peyton from joining us."
"Can you blame me? The two of them have been practically attached at the hip for three weeks now. It wouldn't hurt him to spend a weekend away from her."
Deb smiled at the grumbling, but she had to agree. She and Dan both liked Peyton, a lot, actually, but the girl was simply monopolizing all of his time to the point that they hardly saw him, despite the fact he lived with them. "Well, let's just be grateful he's got her in his life, shall we?" she suggested, choosing to look on the bright side. "We've seen what becomes of him without her."
"I'm grateful," Dan stressed. "I just don't think it's healthy to spend every free second together. For either of them."
"Yeah, well, you've seen what trying to talk him out of seeing her has done," she said with a chuckle. "You certainly got an earful this morning," she added, referring to when Dan had told their son he couldn't bring his girlfriend.
"Yeah. Thanks for jumping in there, by the way," he remarked sarcastically to the woman who had kept her mouth shut during the father and son argument. "I take it he's with her right now?"
"I'm going to guess that you're right."
"He should be here, packing too."
"Oh Dan," Deb replied indulgently. "He wants to spend time with her before he leaves. Two days apart is a long time for seventeen year old sweethearts."
"Apparently," Dan responded. "He just better not complain how tired he is in the morning."
"Oh, he will."
No doubt their son would gripe, but that was okay with her. It was a far cry better than how he'd been a month ago. The progress he'd made just since getting back with his blonde girlfriend was simply staggering. And that was why, even if she agreed the young couple could spend less time together, she would never begrudge the fact they didn't. She was more than grateful to the young woman without whom, their son may not be alive today. Because that was something Deb certainly couldn't live with.
...
"Are you sure you don't want me to...?"
"Babe, I'm sure," Nathan answered his girlfriend, trying to keep his frustration out of his voice.
It was five days since the party, and Larry and Ellie had already retired for the night since they'd both gone back to work now and had to be up in the morning.
Larry had given his stern warning that no kinky business was to take place, causing both teens to flush with embarrassment. It took a lot to embarrass Nathan, but her parents warning them against sex did it fairly easily.
Not enough, however, to prevent the steamy make out session that had occurred just minutes after her parents had gone to bed. A make out session so intense that, despite his vow to take things slow, had Nathan's hands instinctively finding their way under her top.
Until, of course, her mind again took her back to the day of her rape, forcing Nathan to, once again, pull back, and Peyton to, again, offer oral sex as an alternative.
"I don't see why you don't just let me," Peyton said. "You know you enjoy it and I want to..."
"And I don't see why you still won't see a therapist so we're even," Nathan shot back, slightly aggravated. He'd broached the subject again the day after the party, figuring she might be more open to it now, but she'd shut him down completely, the way she always did whenever he mentioned it.
Her lips instantly curled downward and she crossed her arms over her chest in a show of anger.
"I'm sorry," he said, like he always did when she got mad over the touchy subject. "Peyton, hey, I'm sorry," he repeated when she showed no signs of lightening up.
"Why do you insist on bringing this up every couple of days?" she demanded to know. "You said you'd drop it."
"I know." He did know. Yes, he'd agreed to drop it. He didn't know why he couldn't seem to do that. "I'm trying to."
"Try harder."
"I will. You forgive me?"
"Don't I always?"
He smiled at that. Yes, she did. She smiled back at him, unable to help herself.
"I should probably go," he said, standing up.
"What? Nathan..." Was he upset with her?
"It's late and we're going to Coop's early," he explained.
She nodded, not arguing with him. She got to her feet with him and walked him to the door, kissing him goodnight. At least he was letting her do that now. She couldn't understand why he didn't go for the other stuff. Normally he'd be all over that. She truly did want to give him that pleasure to help make up for what she couldn't give him right now, but, for whatever reason, he refused every time.
She knew he still thought she offered out a sense of obligation, and he didn't believe she actually wanted to do it for him. But he was wrong.
Not only was she willing to do that for him, but she was also able. Willing because she enjoyed giving him pleasure and had been feeling the loss of that lately. Able because it wasn't something she'd been forced to do with Damien so there would be no unwelcome memories coming around and ruining it.
But, alas, he didn't want to let her so she swallowed her disappointment and tried to go along with him. He was trying so hard to be patient and understanding so she owed him the same courtesy. And if he didn't want a blowjob, then so be it. It's not like she could force his dick in her mouth anyway.
"I'm going to miss you," he told her when their lips finally parted. "I wish you could come."
"Me too," Peyton agreed. She'd love to see Cooper, Jess and the kids again, not to mention the newest addition to their family. "But hey," she went on reasonably. "You've been wanting time with your dad without Lucas so there's your chance."
"Yeah, I guess," he said. He'd never had to wait for a chance before. He'd always had his dad. "Even though everyone else will be there, and my dad's kinda pissed for having to go."
"He'll get over it," Peyton replied easily. "Give those kids a big hug for me, ok?"
He nodded in agreement before kissing her again. He sure was glad he could, at least, do that now. He'd missed those lips of hers.
"Okay," he said firmly, breaking away several seconds later. "Really gotta go now."
"So go," Peyton teased with a giggle.
He grinned boyishly and came in for another kiss.
It was another ten minutes before he actually left.
"Call me when you get to Charlotte, ok?" Peyton requested once he was halfway to his car.
He told her he would, got in his car, and drove away.
...
Nathan threw his bag in the trunk and grumpily rubbed his eyes. "Why do we have to go so early?"
He was clearly whining, and Dan and Deb shared a knowing look.
"To beat the traffic, sweetie," his mother answered.
Nathan yawned sleepily and hopped in the back while his parents got in front, Dan at the wheel. "This early though?" the teen continued to grumble. "It's like, six. Coop and Jess probably aren't even up yet."
"They have a newborn," Deb reasoned. "If they're not up yet, they will be by the time we get there."
"Whatever," Nathan mumbled in response. "Wake me up when we get there," he added, making himself comfortable and closing his eyes.
"Maybe you should have come home earlier last night, huh?" Dan said to his son, to which Nathan simply grunted in return.
Dan glanced at his wife, and she fixed him with a pointed look, silently telling him to just let it go. He shook his head and did just that.
...
"Hey there they are," Cooper's deep baritone boomed out when he opened the door for his family. "My favorite sister, favorite nephew, and...Dan."
Dan rolled his eyes, not any happier to be there than his brother in law was to have him.
Deb shot her brother a look to be nice.
"Come on in," Cooper told them, opening the door wider as Jordan and Chelsea, their two oldest daughters, ran to greet them.
As Deb hugged both little girls, Nathan couldn't help notice how much bigger they'd gotten since he and Peyton had visited several months ago now.
Jess, Cooper's wife, was seated at the couch with their newest daughter, and Deb simply gushed at her. "What an absolute doll," she cooed. "Give me that baby," she ordered sweetly, extending her arms to take the small bundle of joy.
Nathan made his greetings and then called Peyton, as he said he would, to tell her of their arrival. He ended up talking to her a good twenty minutes before Deb chastised him for his rudeness and forced him off the phone. He did as he was told, albeit reluctantly.
"How is that gorgeous girl of yours?" Jess asked him.
"She's good," Nathan replied.
"Yeah? You should have brought her. We got along fabulously last time you were both here. It was like having a little sister around."
Nathan shot his dad a gloating look over Jess' words. They wanted Peyton here and he couldn't pass up bragging about it, just the tiniest bit.
"And how are you these days?" Cooper asked, recalling how for a while Nathan hadn't even ventured out of his room. He'd gotten the rest from Deb, and he'd been truly worried about his nephew.
"I'm fine," Nathan told him.
"And Peyton?"
"Yeah, she's fine too." Mostly. But he wasn't about to get into their current issues with everybody around. Besides, by comparison to a month ago, both he and Peyton were doing awesome.
"She's so beautiful," Deb continue to gush over the baby. "You want to hold her, Nathan?"
He shook his head vigorously. She was way too tiny...he could accidently break her. Or drop her. No, he was fine admiring from a distance. "What'd you name her?" he asked Cooper and Jess.
"Brianna," Jess replied. "It was the only name we could agree on."
Nathan nodded. "Cool." Pretty name, he supposed.
"So three girls, huh?" Dan piped up, smiling down at the newborn himself.
Cooper and Jess shared a sweet look. "Three girls," Jess said.
"And no complaints," Cooper added before Dan could mention something about a son.
...
"Hey," he said when Peyton picked up her cell later that night. Everyone had already gone to bed even though it wasn't even 10:00 yet. He went to his room too, but he wasn't ready for sleeping just yet. He was tired due to the lack of sleep the previous night, but he wasn't tired enough to be able to fall asleep. He'd much rather talk to Peyton.
"Hey," she greeted back, also in her room, working on a sketch. "How is everybody?" she wanted to know.
"Good," he told her. "They asked about you."
"Yeah? Aww, that's sweet. The girls are good too?"
Knowing she referred to Jordan and Chelsea, he answered. "Yeah, we all played blocks together. Chelsea wasn't afraid of me this time."
"That's good. Blocks, huh?" she teased. "Have fun with that?"
"I did, actually," he admitted. "We built a tower as tall as Jordan, and before you say that's not that big, she grew. They both did."
Peyton chuckled. "That does happen with kids," she said sarcastically. "And how's the baby? Cute, I'll bet."
"Cute, yeah. Fucking tiny."
Another chuckle from Peyton. "Well, she's not even two weeks old yet," she pointed out. "Did you get to hold her?"
"No," he answered quickly. "My mom asked me to, but I said no way in hell."
"You did not say that."
"Well, I said no," he amended.
That was more like it. "Aww, why not, babe? Scared you'd crush her with your bare hands?"
Now he chuckled. She knew him so well. "Considering my hands are bigger than she is, hell yeah."
"Ohh, she sounds adorable," Peyton cooed, much like his mother had earlier. "I wish I could be there to see her."
"I'll send you pics," he said.
"Thank you. So, do you have the same room we did last time?"
"I do."
"And is it making you miss me more than you already do?"
"Assuming I missed you to start with?"
"You know you did."
"You're right. It started as soon as I left your house last night."
"Oh wow," she exclaimed in amusement. "You are totally on your A-game right now. They must be a good influence on you over there."
He laughed heartily. "What about you? You miss me?"
"As soon as you left my house last night," she returned.
He smiled at her humor. He did miss her. His dad thought they spent too much time together, but that was because anytime he wasn't with her, he spent the whole time thinking about her anyway.
They talked nearly two hours - laughing, playing, like they used to do - before they both ran out of things to say. If they were together in person they would pass that time goofing around, cuddling or making out, not holding the phone to their ear, waiting for the other to speak. At that point they figured they may as well just hang up.
"I'll call you tomorrow? Same time?" he asked.
"Umm, yeah, I'm supposed to hang out with Brooke and Chase tomorrow, but I suppose I could squeeze some time in for you."
"That's generous," he jested. "I'm flattered."
"You should be," she giggled. "Okay, goodnight, Nate."
"Goodnight. I love you."
"I love you too. Have fun with your family."
"Have fun with Brooke. Oh, and dream about me, will ya? I'll be dreaming of you."
"I'll do my best to conjure you up," she replied before they finally ended the call.
Dream of him, she pondered, setting her phone down on her night table. She hoped she did. It would certainly be better than the memories that usually haunted her dreams these days.
If only she could control them, she would dream of her handsome fiancé every night.
...
The next evening, Peyton sat in Karen's Cafe, across Brooke and Chase, thankful for the invite to hang out with them, yet definitely feeling like a third wheel. She didn't know how Brooke did it with her and Nathan so often, especially when the two of them would think nothing of starting up a make out session whenever the mood struck, regardless of where they were or who was around. Brooke and Chase were, thankfully, much more considerate then she and Nathan were in that regard, and Peyton silently vowed to show Brooke the same consideration from now on. As it was, the eyes the couple made at each other was uncomfortable enough.
She was relieved when Lucas and Haley came to join them, but they were a couple too, as they made clear, and soon Peyton wasn't only a third wheel, but a fifth. Thank God Nathan would only be gone this one weekend.
And then Skills and Bevin came in and she was the seventh wheel.
When Rachel and Jake showed up shortly after, Peyton felt better. At least they weren't a couple.
Or were they? It soon became clear by the looks they shared that if they weren't one yet, they would be soon. When had that happened?
That made Peyton a ninth wheel. This was getting ridiculous. She'd go home, except she was having fun. It was nice hanging out with the group again, some old, some new. To her, they were all friends.
Teresa and Tyler came in next, the couple she'd always envied for the sheer perfection of their relationship. They seldom fought or had problems or drama, and that had made Peyton a little jealous by comparison to the tumultuous relationship she shared with Nathan. She didn't harbour those jealous feelings anymore though. She wouldn't trade her hot-headed fiancé for anything and she was glad that the other couple could be so happy together as well.
Still, this made her the eleventh wheel, which went beyond ridiculous to pathetic. She had a mind to call Nathan and tell him to get his ass down here ASAP. But instead she smiled at all the happy people surrounding her. If another couple showed up though, she just may scream.
They decided to go to the movies, and when Mouth walked in the cafe just as the group prepared to leave, Peyton did scream. For joy. "Tell me you're not meeting your girlfriend here," she said to the boy.
Mouth smiled sheepishly. "I don't have a girlfriend," he said, his cheeks going red.
"Good," Peyton returned enthusiastically. "Cause we're all going to the movies and I need a date. What do you say?"
"I...uh, " Mouth stammered. "Wh-what about Nathan?"
"He's out of town and doesn't need to know," Peyton returned slyly.
"Umm..."
"Dude, I'm kidding!" Peyton laughed at Mouth's shocked expression. "I mean, yeah he's out of town, but this would be more like a friends' date."
"Oh ok," Mouth returned with relief. Not that he wouldn't love to go on a real date with Peyton Sawyer - who wouldn't? - but the beautiful blonde was Nathan's girl. Everyone knew that.
The gang left the cafe, all of them leaving a generous tip on the table for their favorite cafe owner, even Mouth who hadn't even had a chance to order anything.
Her girlfriends disagreed, but Peyton found the movie awesome. Lots of action and bloodshed. Nathan would have loved it. The only thing missing for her to make it a perfect evening was having him there with her. She hoped he was, at least, having a good time in Charlotte with his family.
...
Unbeknownst to Peyton, Nathan also walked out of a movie theatre in Charlotte, having watched the exact same movie that she and their friends had in Tree Hill.
It was a good movie, he thought. Lots of action and bloodshed. Peyton would have loved it. She wasn't your typical chick flick type of girl. What movie to see was something they never argued over. Of course when they were together, they never saw much of the movie.
It was weird for him to go see one by himself, but the kids at Coop's house had already been put to bed, and he knew the adults would soon follow. He was seventeen and it was Saturday night. He wasn't ready for bed at 10:00.
At least last night he'd actually been tired, but he'd slept in this morning and still felt full of energy. He checked the time on his phone. Almost midnight. Still early.
He called Peyton as he walked down the sidewalk, and they chatted for a while, both finding humor in the fact they'd watched the same movie in completely different towns, not knowing the other was too.
They only talked a few minutes though, as Peyton reluctantly let him go, saying she and the others were going out for Slurpys before heading home. She would call him when she got back.
He agreed and they ended the call. He sighed and kept walking, bored.
Until the bar came into view and he grinned slyly. He had his fake ID with him - carried it everywhere - and he could use a drink too. Not a Slurpy, mind you. Maybe something a little stronger. A few alcoholic drinks always helped him relax and would probably help him get some sleep when he went back to Coop's.
He made his way inside and strolled up to the bar, ordering a whiskey and coke before his eyes swept the room.
He didn't know anyone, but his arrogant self wasn't surprised to see several girls already making eyes at him. He smiled at a few of them, feeling quite in his element right here among all the young partiers.
He finished his drink and ordered another, not yet ready to go home.
The gutsiest of his female admirers - a tall blonde in a mini skirt and tank top - approached him, boldly making her move. His eyes raked over her body and he naturally flirted right back. She was pretty hot. Not as hot as Peyton - few were - but hot all the same.
Encouraged, she moved a little closer, practically sitting on his lap, and her hands - fuck, her hands - seemed to be everywhere.
It felt good. Damn fucking good. It had been months since he'd had sex - since the morning of the boiler room attack - and it felt good to feel this kind of touch on his body again. His dreams didn't count; they weren't real.
But this woman, though not as hot as his fiancé, was very real and very willing, offering him a night of uncensored pleasure.
He swallowed hard, turned on by the mere thought of it, more so by her wandering hands, her lips on his neck.
Running through his mind were Haley's words from the party, 'When I was in group counselling, I met some girls who weren't ready even years later.' Years. Fuck. As supportive as he tried to be, as he wanted to be, he couldn't possibly wait that long.
And then Katie Sanders', of all people's, words from several months past popped into his head. 'A leopard doesn't change its spots. Once a cheater, always a cheater.'
Was she right? He hadn't thought so at the time, but with this girl's fingers running over him, over the bulge in his pants, he could no longer think straight.
He wanted this. His body needed this.
"What do you say, hottie?" the woman whispered seductively in his ear. "There are rooms right upstairs we can use if you're up for it, which I can tell you are," she said, giving him a little squeeze.
...
Meanwhile, Peyton got home, went to her room, and immediately dialled Nathan's cell. Voicemail. Well, damn. He was probably already asleep. It was pretty late. She and her friends had stayed out longer than intended just talking and goofing around. She hoped Nathan wasn't mad at her for not calling sooner.
She called back, this time leaving a sweet message on his voicemail. If he was mad at her, then telling him she loved him and was thinking about him ought to soften him up.
She set her phone down and curled up to go to sleep.