TITLE: No Doubt

Peyton POV

I'm awake but I don't open my eyes, I sigh deeply, content, and I smile. I hadn't had a good night sleep like this for a long time, except for a split second I couldn't remember why. That's when I realize that my right arm isn't able to move, and I have this weight on my chest. I smile, now I remember. Brooke. I open my eyes and sure enough there she is cuddled into me with half of her body on top of me. My arm is underneath her. Her hair partially covers her face. I take the liberty of pushing it back away so that I can take a look at her properly. She looks so peaceful when she sleeps. As if all the heartaches and suffering simply doesn't exist at all. She looks gorgeous, even I can tell and well why wouldn't I, I am after all her best friend. After watching her a while, I remember the events that led to this.

FLASHBACK.

Brooke walked into the house and realized something was terribly wrong. Peyton wasn't in her room as far as she could tell, but the house wasn't locked. She was positive that she was home. Where else would she be? Brooke already looked everywhere for her. She hadn't seen her all day, and what really freaked her out was that nobody else seemed to have seen or heard from her either.

She called out her name, but nobody answered.

Her dad was apparently not at home, given the fact that Brooke didn't see his car out front.

She ran to every room and kept on calling over and over again, but she didn't get an answer.

It was a fluke that she heard it. She was in Peyton's room, when she heard a sniff, and sounds of sobs. She went stiff, not wanting to really believe her ears, but then she looked carefully and sitting in the darkest corner of her room, with her knees pulled up to her chest, was Peyton.

Brooke let out a little gasp and a sigh in relief that she was alright. She ran over to her, "Peyton…Thank God you're okay."

She didn't even blink, she just kept rocking herself back and forth. 'I don't think she even realizes I'm talking to her or if I'm even here.' She sat on her knees in front of Peyton and placed her hand on her knee and said, "Peyt? It's Brooke. Honey please say something, you're scaring me." Peyton stilled for a fraction of a second, before continuing her rocking. Brooke sighed, got up and moved to sit next to her.

She wrapped her arms around her and said, "I'm here now Peyton, I'm here with you, please let me in." Peyton seemed to have realized where she was and who was holding her, for then she broke down, "Oh Brooke!" She turned around and wrapped her arms around Brooke and cried into her shoulder. Brooke wrapped her arms protectively around Peyton. She swore to herself that she was hunt down whoever did this to Peyton and she'd cause sever suffering and pain to them.

Brooke's curiosity was on major high, however she figured Peyton would let her in when she was ready, hopefully. But for right now, all Peyton needed was comfort and stability, and she'll be darned if she isn't the one to provide Peyton with that.

After a while Peyton stopped crying as hard and was able to slightly calm down. Brooke saw that as an improvement and decided to try and talk to her. "Hey babe, you doin okay?" Peyton sniffs and keeps her arms wrapped around her as though she's afraid if she lets go she'd disappear.

Peyton shrugs and nods, "A little bit better, now that you're here Brooke." Brooke smiles, "Well that's good to know…You really had me worried Peyt! I was calling, and calling you and I spent the entire day going around Tree Hill looking for you, asking everyone whether they've seen ya, cuz I sure as hell hadn't. I think I may have worried Karen, Lucas and Haley and Nathan with my insane antics and…" Peyton cuts Brooke off knowing that she was rambling which meant she was beyond worried about her.

"I was here…I'm sorry for scaring everyone…I'm sorry I scared you." Peyton said, not looking at Brooke directly for fear that she'd start crying again.

Brooke nodded and wiped a couple of tears that were making their way down Peyton's cheek. She then tucked a few strands behind her ear and looked in her eyes as though pleading with her to let her in.

"You know I'm here for you right P?"

Peyton looked at Brooke and realized that she'd probably do anything to make her feel better.

"I know Brooke and I love you for it. But it's really stupid and I really didn't realize that I hadn't gone out and that I'd worried everyone over this."

Brooke shook her head, still having her arms protectively around Peyton, "Nothing that makes you cry like this is stupid Peyton Sawyer!"

Peyton laid her head on Brooke's shoulder and breathed in, then after a couple of minutes.

"He just left." Brooke was confused, the 'he' could refer to a number of people, but she couldn't figure who'd affect Peyton like that, then it hit her like a freight train, and suddenly it felt like her heart flopped through her chest and into the ground. So she could just image what it felt like for Peyton.

"You're dad." Brooke whispered so low she's surprised she even heard.

Peyton got teary eyed and buried her head in the crook of Brooke's neck and tried to control her tears. Brooke rubbed her hand up and down her back trying to soothe her, while trying to figure it all out.

"No note, no call when he got the wherever, I'm not even sure if he's reached 'there' yet; He didn't even mention a job! I mean we even had plans today, with each other. He wanted us to go driving around, have 'lunch out of state' and then be back in time to watch a movie…"

Brooke remembered Peyton telling her about it, all a few day earlier, because she had to make sure that Brooke wouldn't mind her spending the day with her dad. Of course Brooke said no she wouldn't mind…Then this morning she walked into Karen and she said something about Larry speeding down the road towards the airport, when she asked her if Peyton was with him, she shook her head and said she's sure because the direction his car was in, the passenger side was facing her. Brooke thought maybe Peyton was in the car but since it was so early she might have been in the back asleep, but Karen said the back was full of suitcases. That's when Brooke really started to worry.

"We were gonna watch a stupid, cheesy action romance movie…I don't even now where he is Brooke, I mean how hard is it for him to scribble a note telling me he's okay or at least a number so I can reach him by…You wanna know something? Here's the real kicker…"

Brooke looked at her and squeezed her to reassure her and kissed her forehead.

"I was making breakfast, which meant that he left around 5 am…I was making breakfast me. So I had set up everything so we can have breakfast before heading out, I went to wake him up, I knocked like 20 times Brooke, then I finally opened the door, and there were hangers all over the floor, and a few clothes strewn all over the room, but I swear he probably took every last bit of clothing from his room. Nothing's in there except like a few socks that have holes in them. Brooke it's almost as if he hasn't lived here."

Brooke was shocked with the news. Larry Sawyer loved Peyton…why'd he high tail it outta here? She was having trouble grasping it.

Peyton pulled back a little, "I'll show you." She got up and pulled Brooke up with her, she stumbled though so Brooke quickly put her arm around her waist helping her.

They made it to his room and Brooke's mouth fell open. "Oh my God." She whispered.

The room was barren; nothing except s couple of socks was in evidence.

Brooke turned into Peyton and pulled her into a tight hug, "I'm so sorry Peyton. I'm so sorry."

Peyton hugged her back, "Don't you dare be sorry for something you didn't do Brooke Davis. You didn't abandon me in a blink of an eye did you? You're here with me Brooke…Thank you so much."

Brooke rubbed her back and pulled back, "Peyton, it's his loss and he knows it…I'm moving in…or you can come with me…We can call Haley and Nathan and Karen and Lucas if he isn't too busy trying to get to Larry."

Peyton looked surprised but she realized she shouldn't be too surprised, this is Brooke the one who always seems to be there to take care of her.

"What do you mean about Lucas?" Peyton asked suddenly registering that part.

"I think, Lucas figured out what Larry was doing, because this morning I ran into Karen who said she saw Larry speeding down the road towards the airport, not long ago…and then as she finished saying that Lucas was with her by the way…He jumped into his car and chased after him…He had an anger in his eyes I wasn't aware they could posses."

Peyton had gone quiet, "So Karen saw him?"

Brooke almost smacked herself on the head, Peyton noticed this and a small smile graced her lips, "I figured that he left Brooke, via airplane…you're not making me hurt more."

Brooke shook her head, "But I'm not making you hurt less either."

Peyton hugged her, "You're making this a lot easier for me Brooke."

"Karen saw him, as in he was speeding by and she saw him in the car, but I don't think he realized that anyone would be awake that early…although that's funny, since Karen is almost always awake by then making her way to the coffee shop."

Peyton nodded, "So Lucas…"

Brooke cut in with a tiny smirk, "Is probably on the same flight as your dad, and is probably driving insane…which is nothing compared to what I'm gonna do to him once I find out where he's gone to."

Peyton, "Lucas wouldn't…would he?"

Brooke shrugged and smirked, "All I can tell you is that Larry is on the wrong end of Lucas' anger this time…I'm telling you I've never seen him so angry before."

Peyton sighed, "I hope Lucas' okay…I don't want him to get hurt…besides if my dad doesn't want to be found, it's likely he wont be."

Brooke sighed and nodded, knowing that Peyton was right. She hugged her tight, "I love you Peyton…and you really scared me there…Please call me next time, I don't care at what time, got it?"

Peyton smiled a little for the first time, "I love you too Brooke."

"Right so about out living arrangements…I think we should call reinforcement like now, so we can get settled."

Peyton smiled, "You gonna really move here if I asked you to?"

Brooke smirked, "You bet your ass I will. So what's it gonna be, mine or yours?"

"Well considering you practically live here, you might as well come here."

Brooke smiled, "Done. Now come on, let's get my junk over here…My bed stays there, since well it's huge and well it wont fit anywhere…but otherwise all my stuffs coming with me…Think you can handle it?"

Peyton let out a small sigh that resembled her earlier self and smiled a little, "I suppose."

Brooke looked happy to see her mood lift a little at least, "Well come on…let's get moving."

They had called everyone to help move...By the end of the day Brooke was set up with all her clothes in a closet in a spare room.

Karen had gotten a call from Lucas saying that he's gone to be in New Hampshire for a while, Karen let him go, but not before making sure she knew that he'd be okay.

"Thank you B. Davis for being my friend." Peyton said once everything was settled and Brooke and her were laying on her bed.

"Thank you for accepting my friendship P. Sawyer."

END FLASHBACK

Peyton's POV

I can tell she woke up by the smile I feel. "good morning sunshine."

She grins at me and hugs me, "Morning, how'd you sleep?"

"Best sleep I've had in a long time Brooke. Thank you."

"Don't have to thank me Peyt…I love you so much Peyton, I'm glad you're okay."

Brooke looked like she was going to cry.

"I'm really okay Brooke, and it's all thanks to you. I love you too Brooke."

"Thank you for saving me that day Brooke…I really don't know what would've happened if you hadn't found me." It's been a few months since then.

Lucas had come back, without Larry. According to Lucas he's gotten what was coming to him. Brooke disagrees, he still hadn't run into her. I must agree with her on that one.

Brooke smiles, "What did I tell you Peyton…I'm always here for you no matter what. I love you Peyton."

Peyton smiled " I love you too Brooke", she didn't have a doubt in her mind that Brooke meant what she said just as she did.

The END