Authors note: It's been forever since I've worked on this and I just realized that the last chapter I changed Ella's name to Luella...just go with it and pretend that Ella's just for short. I am so embarrassed

-x-

Brooke eyed Peyton warily as the blonde she had thought she knew pace back and forth, the gun held firmly in her hand. When Peyton called her to exchange herself for the twins Brooke didn't blink an eye, didn't even hesitate. Instead Brooke silently snuck out of Sawyer's house and met with her former best friend and laid eyes on her frightened kids. She hugged and kissed them as they cried and told them to run to the house and not to look back, holding her own tears back.

Brooke watched them disappear into the house and she turned to find Peyton holding the gun to her face.

Forty minutes later here they stood—or sat in her case—former best friends turned captor and captive.

"What's the plan Peyton?"

"You should guess…"

Brooke took a deep breath and said, "Peyt we may have had our problems but you're not a killer!"

"You've stolen everything from me—"

"I have not! Everything that's happened is all your own doing!"

Peyton shook her head, the gun shaking in her hand, "Why did you have to take him from me? Why do you always have to have EVERYTHING?!"

Brooke felt the tears cloud her eyes, "I don't have everything Peyt. We used to be so close and now...look at us! You're pointing a gun at me! Claiming that I stole your life—"

"You did—"

"I didn't! And let's not forget that you had an affair with Julian while we were dating up until well after we married!"

"I can't believe you're bringing that up—"

Brooke leaned forward—well as much as she could bound as she was. "I fell in love with Lucas again only after you tossed him aside!"

"I don't believe that. You loved him all these years and was just waiting—itching to get him back! And then you took him from me!"

Brooke shook her head, "That's not true! Okay yes deep down I did love Lucas but only as a friend while you two were married! I had no desire to hurt you as you claim! Unlike you! You cut me down every chance you could! When Jude and Davis died your absence spoke louder than words. I was ALWAYS there for you but whenever I needed you—"

Peyton started pacing, shaking her head as she tried to block out her words.

"—you were always conveniently missing!"

"I was there for you too!" Peyton yelled.

"I seem to remember that whenever I had something going on in my world you always ignored what was going on with me—choosing to stay in your own world!"

"That's not true!"

"It is true! So stop acting as if I was always out to get you!" She then huffed and asked again, "What is the plan here Peyton? Now that we've come to this what is the next step?"

Peyton sat down and stared at the ceiling, "I don't know... I didn't plan anything!"

Brooke leaned back and exhaled, "It's not too late. You can let me go and I won't press any charges. But you need help. Seriously Peyt this has never been you! I still remember the girl that always met me under our special bridge and talk about any and everything!"

Peyton started crying and said, "I want to go back. Back to where I had Lucas and you. That we could have been happy…"

"Sometimes I do too."

"I've done so much and I have no idea why or how I got here…" she said, her voice sounding as if she was an adolescent again.

"A lot of wrong turns."

Peyton wiped her eyes and aimed the gun back at Brooke's head. "Well…we are at the end of the road now…"

"It doesn't have to be like this Peyton…"

She carefully cocked the gun and aimed it once more, "I'm afraid it does! There's no other way. In order for me to have my family you must be removed."

-x-

After talking to his children Lucas had jotted down the directions to Peyton's place, unsure if she actually took his wife back to the same location. But he had to at least try. He looked at the road unseeingly as he drove, too lost in all the memories of Brooke and their life together. Like the time Brooke hosted fun game nights for the kids, and once the kids went to bed she'd turn on the music and dance with him, telling him she just wanted to feel him close to her.

Another memory rose up and he smiled despite his fear and panic, seeing it clearly as Brooke laying with the kids outside on a clear summer night, stargazing and making up crazy constellations, making the children laugh as she described each one. Teaching them how to use their imagination and how important it is to feed it and allow it to grow so that one day they would be able to do anything they wanted.

"You've gotta dance like there's nobody watching, Love like you'll never be hurt, Sing like there's nobody listening, And live like it's heaven on earth." She told Lydia once, after his niece came home crying about a boy.

Another rose up and it was just the two of them, he could feel the soft press of her lips against his, the smell of her perfume, the echo of her laughter taunted his mind.

Brooke was his center. His peace. His anchor. The tears blurred his vision as his hands gripped the steering wheel but he kept driving determined to find her. He had to find her. He had to. He refused to allow anything to happen to her.

"I'm coming baby….just hold on." he said as he gritted his teeth, his focus completely on finding this address. "Please hold on Brooke…"

-x-

"We don't even know where to look Tom." Rachel said as he drove out of the city limits.

After the news of Brooke's disappearance and the altercation with Lucas Tom had literally steered clear of the angry blonde and had made sure that the twins were okay while Lucas rightfully broken down, the frightful day weighing down on him heavily.

Tom kept his eyes on the road and said, "Actually we do. I overheard Ryder tell Lucas where Peyton had taken them. I have a vague idea where it is."

"You do know that this would make you look as if you were in on it?" Rachel said as she looked at him, "If you find her before he does—"

Tom nodded, his jaw clenched. "I know. But I feel as if this is all my fault—"

"How is it your fault? You told them her plans immediately, you have been sending over backwards searching for Ry and Ella for hours and now you're doing the same for Brooke."

"It's the least I can do Rachel. She's been nothing but kind to me and it's because of her I was allowed to get to know the kids at all. I owe her a unpayable debt for that. And besides it's more for our kids that I'm doing this. They would be destroyed if anything happened to her."

Rachel nodded, "So it's not because of your feelings for her?"

"My feelings for Brooke has no place in this. My kids well being however is definitely the contributing factor."

"What's the plan then? Besides beating Lucas to her?"

Tom shook his head and said, "The plan is to talk Peyton out of doing something crazy—"

"A little late for that don't cha think?"

He had to give her that one and admitted, "Okay from doing something even more crazy."

"Hang on Brooke….just a little longer…"

-x-

Brooke stared at her and refused to show her fear, she had to believe that Peyton wouldn't have the guts to pull the trigger, that she still loved her deep down. But she was also very aware that Peyton hadn't been in her right mind for years.

"Do you really think that the kids would warm up to you if you kill me?"

Peytons teeth gritted at the mention of the kids and said, "They will get over it! Just like they got over me!"

"What are you talking about?!"

"You've been brainwashing everyone like you're this saint mother—when really just a whore who stole my husband—my family!!"

"I didn't steal him! You divorced him! You left him Peyton! And then you raped him to frame him to be the father! And then you name him to be caretaker for them which I became as well due to him being my husband! And let's not forget that it was your actions is the main reason that the twins don't remember you! Do you not remember that?!"

Peyton pressed the gun to her temple and gritted, "I remember you stole everything from me! And it's time you pay for that!"

-x-

Lucas rushed up the stairs and to the apartment that Ryder and Lorella described an hour ago. He heard raised voices. His heart sped up at the sound of Brooke's voice, the frustration and anger in it made his heart clench with the need to get her out of there.

He saw a sliver of light from the window and went to peek in and saw Brooke tied to the chair with Peyton standing over her, a gun pressed to her temple. Rage like he never knew washed over him at the sight.

"You know what's going on in there?" Tom asked as he crouched down next to him.

"What the hell are you doing here?!" He hissed as the British man made his presence known to him.

"I'm here to help you. You shouldn't be the one to go in. Our kids need you. And last I heard Peyton has a gun."

Rachel sidled up to his left and suggested, "How about you both go in. Tom you distract her with your British sexiness while Luke grabs his wifey. Or Luke you could distract her while Tom grabs Brooke?"

Lucas looked at Rachel and asked quietly, "How am I going to do that?"

Rachel rolled her eyes then said, "The old Lucas Scott charm. Make it convincing and then I taser her ass!" The two men looked at her as if she grew two heads to the point where she huffed and said, "Do you have any better ideas? Because I doubt she's gonna wait all night for you two to get a plan together!"

"We have no choice. Alright let's do this. You two stay hidden." Lucas knocked and waited for her to answer. He heard shuffling around and then said, "Peyton it's Lucas! Can I come in please?"

The door swings open and there she stood, the woman that he used to think was his soulmate. His eyes took in her thin frame, her blonde curls hanging limply down her shoulders.

"Long time no see Lucas….what brings you here?" She asked coolly, her green eyes taking over him hungrily.

Lucas smiled convincingly and answered, "I'm here to see you. Can I come in please? We really need to talk."

Peyton reluctantly moved to the side and allowed him entrance. Lucas looked around and didn't see Brooke anywhere. Peyton shut the door behind him and smiled, happy to be in his presence once again. "That's funny because there's a lot of things that I want to talk to you about too."

"You go first…." he said, his eyes still searching the room.

"No you."

Brooke was somewhere in this apartment and he knew that he needed to try this crazy plan of Rachel's to at least find her. "I wanted to tell you that I love you and miss you so much... I was crazy to ever leave you."

Unabashed hope lit her green eyes to where they sparkled like they used to as she asked, "Really?"

"Yes. Brooke and I…. we're not working out." he said convincingly, unable to believe that he was going through with this. "Now you…"

"Oh God I love you too. So much." She then kissed him passionately and Lucas had to fight the urge to push her away. Thankfully she stopped before he could and smiled that smile that used to make his heart pound with tenderness. "And I want you to know that the things we do for love—Everything I do is motivated by love in some way…. Love drives us to extremes. Love drives us to do crazy things…." she continued on as she led him to the back of the apartment, "Love makes us monsters."

There she was. Brooke. Bound to a chair with wheels, mouth duct taped, unbidden tears streaking down her cheeks at the sight of him. His heart began to pound heavily as Peyton stood to Brooke's left and held the gun to her head once more.

Lucas took in the situation as desperation filled his body and said, "Peyton think about this…you don't want to kill Brooke."

"You don't know everything she's done Luke!" She said with crazed eyes, the gun shaking in her grasp, tears streaking down her cheeks.

"Then why don't you tell me! Put the gun down and let's have a nice chat huh…go on…put it on the table—"

Peyton shook her head, "I'm not putting it down Luke!"

"Then aim it at me! Please!" he begged, hating that Brooke was in this position.

She cocked her head and smirked, "Why would I do that? I need you alive! Her on the other hand…."

"Baby this isn't you... you're a good person. We don't have to go down this road." He said placatingly, moving closer and closer towards Peyton while praying that Tom and Rachel had made it inside and could hear them talking. "Come on...Just put the gun down."

Just as she was beginning to lower the gun Tom had entered the room, startling her into shooting him in the shoulder. "Ah!"

"Oh my God Tom!" Peyton cried, unable to believe that she shot her children's father.

"This is getting out of hand Peyt put down the damn gun before something else happens!" Lucas shouted as he rushed to Tom's side. "This looks bad…. I'm gonna put pressure on it okay?" He told Tom loudly, in truth it wasn't as bad as he was making it out to be but Lucas needed her to listen to her conscience and drop the gun—that is if she still has one.

"Is it a crime that I want you back Lucas?! That I want to be a family again?! Is that really the worst thing in the world?!" she cried, still having a firm hand on the weapon as she paced back and forth.

"Peyton don't do this! I know that you still love Brooke. You were like sisters more than friends! That doesn't just go away!" Lucas pleaded while putting pressure on Tom's wound, making the British man growl in pain.

Peyton looked at Brooke and started crying, "Yes it does….The worst feeling is caring about someone so deeply you think that they would never hurt you then the day comes when they actually do…."

Rachel stealthily entered the room and assessed that Peyton's attention was fully on Brooke, the gun aimed at her head. Adrenaline rushing through her, the redhead somehow managed to get behind Peyton and turned up her taser to full blast then tased her in her shoulder, making her release the gun instantly when dropping to the floor, still trembling from the voltage of the taser. The redhead made sure to kick it out of her reach and said, "You're lucky that's all you got bitch!"

Rachel then turned her attention to Tom and said angrily, "I told your dumbass to wait! But you didn't listen!"

"It worked didn't it?" Tom groaned as he rose to his feet.

Rachel rolled her eyes as she snapped, "Barely!" she then looked to Lucas and said, "What the hell are you waiting for? Get Brooke and get out of here!"

Lucas hurried and rushed to Brooke and started untying her bonds quickly, then with a loud yelp the duct tape came off. Brooke was instantly in his arms, holding him tightly. "I thought she was really gonna do it!" she cried, "She was really gonna kill me Luke!"

Lucas didn't say a word he just pressed a kiss on the center of her forehead and smiled. She hugged him closer, snuggling into his body, tears filling her eyes. His shirt soaked up her tears, his hands so gentle and loving caressed her hair in a soothing manner as she cried into him. "Let's go home."

"But first...we should tie her up and duct tape her mouth and let the police handle her!" Brooke said with a glare.

"Good idea Brookie. I'll do the honors since I have no attachment to this whore." Rachel said as the couple tossed the ropes to her.

"Luke!" Peyton sobbed, "I thought you loved me again! What happened to "It's you. The one I want next to me when all my dreams come true. It's you." what happened Lucas!"

"That was highschool bitch!" Rachel said scathingly as she tied her up.

Brooke took out the phone and dialed 911 and requested an ambulance as well as a cruiser to pick up her former friend for kidnapping.

"Where did you learn how to take someone down like that?" Brooke asked after she handled Peyton.

"If you ever bothered to watch my career you would know that I had a show with my husband. It was a lot like Law and Order. We had to actually train as cops to get the authenticity just right."

"Huh... I would like to see that." Brooke then looked over to Tom clutching his shoulder and winced, "You okay over there?"

Tom waved it off and said, "Don't worry….it's just a flesh wound."

"Thank you all for your help." She said sincerely, her eyes looking each person in the eyes. "I honestly thought I wasn't going to make it out of here."

"Speaking of getting out of here…. shouldn't we be going? You know mission accomplished and all that." Rachel asked as they continued to stand there.

Lucas sighed, "We all have to give our statement when the police shows up and dumbass Tom has to be seen by an evac to make sure he's alright."

"Kiss my arse Scott." Tom shot back.

Brooke giggled then started crying all over again at the thought of not experiencing this again.

After twenty minutes of waiting they watched Peyton get handcuffed and loaded into a squad car while Tom got stitches. By the time Brooke and Lucas were able to go home the sun was coming up.

The kids were already up and eating breakfast when they entered Sawyer's house.

"Mommy!!" Angelina shouted, knocking her seat over to get to Brooke.

Sawyer, LJ, Luella and Ryder all rushed to hug her too. Everyone was worried about her the moment she traded herself for the twins.

She gulped down the sob and turned away before anyone noticed her tears. "I love all of you too….I'm sorry for worrying you. God I'm exhausted…I'm going to rest for awhile okay?"

"Okay Mom." LJ said as he hugged her once again.

Brooke gave each child a kiss on the forehead before making her way to the guest room. She threw herself on the bed and sobbed wrenchingly, thinking of all the good times her and Peyton had, she grieved for the fact that the girl she once knew was gone forever. She cried and cried until she had no more tears to cry.

Lucas followed behind her and sat down beside her as she buried her face in the pillows. He rubbed her back comfortingly as she dry sobbed. "Brooke…."

Brooke sat up and looked at her husband as she said, "She changed because of me Lucas—"

"That's not true and you know it. I know seeing Peyton change isn't what's hurting you. What hurts is remembering who she used to be."

"I should be over everything but the truth is... I'll never be able to get over how far I drove her—"

Lucas looked at her and said, "Stop it Brooke! Please don't do this to yourself. Peyton chose her own road. Peyton chose to do everything she's ever done. You nor I are responsible for the choices she made!" Brooke sobbed again as Lucas held her close. "You have nothing to feel sorry for."

He kissed her soothingly, thoroughly, trying to ease her broken heart as best he could. He rested his forehead against hers as he said, "I just want to hold you for a few hours. Will you let me do that Pretty girl?"

Brooke nodded and climbed further into bed with him, immediately getting comfortable in his arms. Before she knew it she was fast asleep.

Lucas kissed her neck and continued holding her as if he was afraid of losing her again. "You will never truly understand just how much I love you Brooke….but I am going to dedicate the rest of my life showing you."

-x-

Six months later…

Brooke smiled as she watched Rachel and Tom flirt back and forth, seeing that sparks were indeed flying between the two. After Oliver was caught in a scandalous affair with his twenty-five year old costar Rachel set in motion divorce proceedings. But within that time her and Tom began spending more time with each other under the guise of finding Tom the perfect woman for him. In Brooke's opinion he need look no further than at the redhead.

Peyton didn't fare so well. She was sentenced to twenty years to life in Westvillage psych ward. The twins had seen her a few times over the last few months and thanks to the medication she was being forced to take she was finally able to have a normal conversation with them.

Brooke smiled as Lucas wrapped his arms around her, his nose buried into the curve of her neck. "You smell so good... I can just take you right here…"

"And scar the children for life? Sure." Brooke said with a light laugh.

"You my dear wife have been lost in your own world again. They are with Jamie and Nathan at the River court."

She turned to look at him and asked, "When did that happen?"

"They've been gone for ten minutes. So what's going on inside that beautiful head of yours?"

Brooke shrugged her slender shoulders and admitted, "Everything... Peyton and the kids mostly. I'm kind of proud of the real progress she's made. I'll never really trust her alone with them ever again but if they are able to relax more with her then she's doing something right."

"Difficult roads often lead to beautiful destinations."

She smiled, truer words have never been spoken. After all they've been through after all these years they were finally in a great place. "You can say that again."

"I love you Brooke Davis-Scott."

"Make me believe it..." she said with a smirk.

Lucas returned the smirk and pulled her close to his body and whispered, "Are you sure you ready for this?"

"Always." She said as she grabbed his hand and led him into his she'd only to stop when they heard hushed moans and gasps. Brooke unable to help her curious nature peeked and what she saw was jaw dropping.

She gasped deeply, "Oh my God! Is that—Tom and Rachel?"

"No way!" Lucas peeked in for himself and saw that Tom had her pinned to the wall and was kissing the redhead senseless.

"Mm Tom...yes..." Rachel moaned low as Tom suckled on her breast.

"Oh my God—" Brooke gasped silently, unable to break her stare at the two writhing bodies. God I feel like a fucking voyeur! She thought as they continued to absorb themselves in each other.

When she saw him lift Rachel up and thrust into her best friend's body she looked away. "I cannot believe that they are hooking up right now!" She said as she walked away from the window.

"I'm relieved they are."

Brooke cocked her head to the side, "Don't tell me it was because of his completely valid crush on me?" His jaw ticked at the mention of it. "Baby that's long over as you can see and hear from your shed. Now come on. Let's go inside and get into some trouble ourselves."

Lucas lifted her into his arms and carried her into the house. "That would be my pleasure…"

--X--X--X--

The end…

Boy this story was a pain in my ass lol. But it's finally finished! I hope you liked/loved the journey and as challenging as this story was I did enjoy writing it. I toyed with killing Peyton off but I decided against it. And I'm sure that this ending may feel rushed but I stress that I suffered through really bad writer's block so for me this is the best way I could end it. I'm still writing After Dark and unfortunately I got stuck on that as well but I will not be discontinuing it anytime soon. Thank you for not giving up on this story (Diane and white collar black wolf) and to all of my readers a very heartfelt thank you. And happy belated holidays lol