BBQ Party at Naley's house

Peyton walked up to the front door of the Naley house. If she didn't have to be here today for this BBQ, she would have stayed in bed at Brooke's house. Tired was an understatement. Last night had been possibly the worst night of her life since she has been here. She didn't think it could get much worse, but she was wrong.

She couldn't get the image out of her head of how Lucas had looked at her when he walked into the cafe. She rolled over to look at the clock 1:17. She sighed getting up and walked towards the kitchen to get a glass of water. She looked out into the backyard seeing the moon illuminating the backyard and opened the backdoor. Lounging on the chair brought her peace. It gave her the opportunity to think about her life. But then she heard the upstairs sliding door open. Brooke and Lucas had a balcony off their master bedroom. She could hear Brooke's giggle.

"Baby it's so late. We have Naley's bbq tomorrow and I promised Jamie I'd spend time with him because I've been busy all week," she could hear Brooke say. She would have went back inside, but she didn't want them to know she had been awake.

"But what about my needs baby. I've been neglected all week," she could tell Lucas had a pout on his face while saying this. Lucas would always put his lip out to get his way with Brooke. She saw it so many times in high school. Lucas and Brooke both had these looks that they gave each other to get what they wanted. His pout and her dimples could ruin people for what they would do for each other.

"Oh baby your needs will be taken care of for the rest ... of ... your ... life," Brooke said. It got silent. Peyton got nervous not sure what was going on up there and she really didn't want to hear anything.

"Brooke," Lucas paused. "I need you to know I am forever grateful for you. Forgiving me for all the pain I caused." "Lucas," Brooke said cutting him off. "No baby let me finish," Luke continued on, "You are the best thing that has happened to me. You push me out of my comfort zone to be the best version of myself. And there is no one, and I mean no one that I could imagine having my future children with. You are going to be my lover, my wife, and the mother of my children and the best one for that matter. I love you Brooke." And then it got silent. She heard their door open back up and she counted to 200 before she went back inside.

Hearing the declaration of love never got easier. She raised her hand to knock on the door for it to be immediately opened up by 2 small children. "PEYTON" Jamie yelled. "Mama saw you on the ring door bell so she said I could open the door. Everyone is in the back. Come on Jenny," Jamie grabbed Jenny's hand and they ran. Peyton walked towards the back door looking on. Nathan and Lucas had been at the grill. Victoria, Ted, Karen, and Keith had been sitting at a table talking. Rachel and Jake had been in the pool watching Jenny run and jump in the pool near them. Haley and Brooke had been lounging on chairs when Jamie launched himself at his aunt. She took a deep breath and opened the door, "Hey people!"

All eyes had been on her. "P. Sawyer!" Brooke waved her over to the empty seat next to her as Jamie ran away. "P. Sawyer I never want to disturb you, you sleep so late! Is the mattress ok? Is it too hard? Too soft?" Brooke rambled on. "Brooke relax," Haley said laughing. "I'm sure if the bed sucked Peyton would tell you." Brooke rolled her eyes, "Whatever I just want a good review about my hospitality."

They had been having light conversation when Jamie came over. "Aunt Brooke, I need you to come with me because Uncle Lucas has something for you." Brooke got up brushing her skirt. "Excuse me ladies but these boys obviously cannot function without me" and she ran away with Jamie pulling her. Haley laughed, "It's crazy how much he loves her." Peyton looked on as Lucas lifted Jamie up in his arms, Jamie latching on to Brooke's neck kissing her cheek while Lucas gave her a lasting kiss. She didn't realize she was staring. "Peyton," Haley said snapping her out of her trance. Haley put her hand on Peyton's knee, "Peyton I know coming back here after all these years and seeing all that has changed is a shocker. With Lucas and Jake. But Brooke, Brooke is super happy and she deserves this." Peyton wondering if Nathan had told her about the meltdown in their backyard. She wondered if Lucas had told her about the interaction at the Rivercourt. Haley continued, "Brooke gave up a lot for you to be happy, it's her time." Peyton was unsure what Haley knew. She knew what happened at the wedding from Nathan's revelation. If she knew more, she would think Haley would have said something.

As she began to speak she heard behind her, "Hey Peyton could I speak to you over here?" She turned to the voice and saw Jake pointing to a table set off to the side away from everyone. She walked over. Peyton and Jake stood in Haley's backyard awkwardly. "Rachel isn't going to kill me because I'm standing here talking to you is she? She did see you come over to me right?" Jake looked over his shoulder. Rachel was now sitting on the chair where she had just come from with her back towards them while Haley and Brooke who had sat back down eyes scanned over the scene happening before them.

Jake chuckled, "Would it be crazy to know she was the one that sent me over here? She said we had some stuff to talk about."

"Oh."

Peyton had to think things over. Hesitantly, "Does she know about Savannah?" Peyton gulped.

Jake hesitated. "Yea she does…" Savannah. Neither one of them had spoken about that meeting. No one knew about it, or she thought hearing Jakes admission that Rachel knows. Which in return, Brooke probably knows, which then Haley probably knows because those 3 clearly can't keep anything to themselves. Peyton wanted to know since when in Tree Hill did people tell the truth? The irony of this all. After Nikki had left, Jake had been in Savannah for a few months. Trying to pick up the pieces of his life. Living in Tree Hill was a reminder that his daughters mother didn't want anything to do with her. That his daughters mother just left leaving them to survive together.

When Peyton had gone to New York, she ran into Jakes mom months later and got his email address. They had been in touch for a few months talking about life, him sending pictures of Jenny before she invited herself to see them both. Making plans and booking a flight, Peyton made her way to Savannah. Peyton hadn't felt this excitement for a while since her and Lucas had ended. She had slowly been cutting off ties with Brooke blaming her for the breakup and found this to be a new prospect.

Peyton had walked off the plane looking for the familiar face. On her tippy toes she scanned the crowd. A smile fell on her face when she saw a hand wave towards her. She moved towards Jake. When she got to him he had a baby strapped to his chest. He looked a little older. Being a single dad didn't change his looks much, only making him that much more attractive. He had cooked her dinner that first night, put Jenny to bed, and fell asleep on the couch watching a movie. They were having fun and it was like they were back in high school again. Before Peyton had broken the cardinal rule of friendship, her and Jake had been the hot item. And they both had been falling back into place.

The third night they had drank a lot. What started off as a brush of her curls away from her face, turned into them waking up next to each other with the sheets wrapped around them. They both had a twinkle in their eyes throughout the day. Then that night there was a round two. Except this time when Peyton woke up the bed was empty next to her. Jake had been sitting in a chair in his room looking out the window. "Jake, baby come back to bed," Peyton patted the side of the bed. He looked over towards her and shook her head. "Peyton I think its best you leave." Peyton immediately got up clutching the sheet to her chest. "Jake what what do you mean?" she stuttered. "Peyton, I told you I loved you, and you said I love you Lucas."

"Jake, I'm sorry.." her voice lingered on. "Peyton it's ok. I want you to know I'm not mad or anything. It happened and I'll be honest to you, thats what pushed me to come back to Tree Hill and that is when I ended up meeting Rachel." Peyton felt a pain in her chest, she took this conversation as she was the reason Rachel got her claws into Jake. "I forgive you Pey and I hope after all these years you have moved on. I've moved on and Brucas is about to get married." They stood in silence for a little. He rocked back and forth on heels. "I just wanted to clear the air thats all Peyton. I hope we can all move forward and be friends." Peyton laughed, "Rachel? My friend?" Jake smirked, "Once you get to know her she is all bark."

As Jake walked away, Brooke walked towards her. She put a hand on her shoulder, "You alright there P. Sawyer?" The answer Peyton wanted to say was no. Nothing going on at that moment had been right. Nothing about Lucas being with Brooke and Jake being with Rachel had been right. Lucas should be with her and Jake should be begging for her to be back with him. So she answered the only way she could answer with a soft smile, "I'll be alright ."