a/n: I've been feeling a little blocked lately and decided to try a different pairing to get my mojo back. This is an idea that popped into my head and it seems like it may be just the thing to get me back on track. It's AU for reasons you'll soon learn, set during senior year and I suppose the only thing you need to know is that Leyton didn't happen, neither did Naley and the rest is sorta self-explanatory.

The Bad Girl All The Good Guys Want

Disclaimer: All characters are the property of the cw and schwahn

Her name was Peyton Sawyer and she was Tree Hill's resident emo chick and self-proclaimed badass.

His name was Nathan Scott and he was made of win. Captain of the basketball team and heir apparent to the Lee-Scott fortune.

Her name was Rachel Gattina and she was a bombshell, beautiful, witty, rich and bitchy

Her name was Brooke Davis and in a word she was a Goddess. One of the prettiest girls you'll ever see up close, kind, brilliant and brave.

Her name was Haley James and to most she was invisible, co-founder of the purity group Clean Teens, she marched to the beat of her own drum

His name was Lucas Scott and he was a Clean Teen, then he crossed paths with Brooke Davis, his half brother's best friend and his life has never been the same

His name was Mouth, actually it's Marvin McFadden and beneath his a/v club geek chic he was a little bit dangerous.

His name was Felix Taggaro and beneath the cocky smile and sculpted physique, he was a total ass.

The ringing of her phone can barely be heard over the latest single from Travis, Peyton rolls over on her side to snatch the cordless from it's base on her nightstand but one look at the caller id and she retracts her hand, sitting back against the headboard of her bed with an annoyed grunt. Her boyfriend Nathan shoots her a quizzical glance, normally he wouldn't pay much attention to his girlfriends poor disposition but for some inexplicable reason Peyton's been extra broody the second he walked through her bedroom door.

Ignoring Nathan's semi-worried expression Peyton breathes a sigh of relief when the ringing finally stops, then she remembers that the answering machine will probably click on and sure enough;

"Peyton," The raspy voice echoes through the room as the cd ends, "I know you're there Goldie Hawn, pick up, pick up, pick up, pick up…" she repeats in a sing-song fashion and the sounds of two other girls giggling in the background simply grates on Peyton's already frayed nerves.

Nathan lunges for the phone before his girlfriend can stop him, "Penelope Cruz, what's shaking?"

"In a few hours Hotshot, my ass on the dance floor." Nathan chuckles and Peyton rolls her eyes. She can almost picture Brooke on the other end of the line, most likely admiring her curvaceous body in a mirror. "If I knew you were there I wouldn't have interrupted."

"Nah, it's cool," he waves off her concern, "we weren't doing anything, so what's up, besides your high opinion of yourself?"

"Rachel and Bevin are in the midst of helping me hijack daddy dearest yacht and we're headed to a White Party in South Beach for a few days. Rach set up a meeting with a rep from Victoria's Secret and if all goes well C/B will be showcased in a mall near you very soon, you two care to join us?"

"Can't, I've got a six a.m. practice tomorrow morning and a little thing called school to attend, you should try it sometimes."

"Don't be so vanilla, Nathaniel."

"Not everyone can be neopolitan, Brookie."

"True, but I prefer chocolate chip cookie dough or maybe just a good swirl?"

"Are you still pissed over Lucas the loser?" Nathan asks, curious about what's behind her almost desperate need to get out of town so early in the school year.

"Nope, I have officially recovered from my descent into lunacy and have decided to celebrate by putting on a pair of my Miu Miu 'Fuck Him' stilettos and partying like a rock star." she declares to much applause from Bevin and Rachel.

"Ah the 'Fuck Him' heels, those shoes have seen quite a bit of action lately"

"Got a point Scott?"

"Just saying if you need a shoulder, mine are very well defined, I'd offer to kick his ass but after seeing what Gattina did to him I'd doubt there's much left to kick."

"Damn right!" Rachel's disembodied voice sounds through the phone, "Freakshow didn't get nearly half of what he deserved."

Nathan laughs, listening to Brooke struggle to get her phone back from the ardent redhead. "How did she even hear what I said?"

"Bitch has dog ears," Brooke replies, sticking her tongue out at Rachel who then flips her the bird, "anyway we've gotta motor before harbor patrol picks us up for sailing while intoxicated. See ya when we get back, Hotshot."

"Good luck B, call me when you get there safely." hanging up the phone he spies Peyton trying her best to pretend like she wasn't hanging on every single syllable of the conversation with his best friend. "What?"

"Did I say anything?" she snaps

"You didn't have to, I can hear your disapproving thoughts loud and clear."

"Don't you think you're being a little hard on Lucas, I mean he is your brother after all and Brooke is only…"

"Okay let's get one thing straight," Nathan sneers, "that Douchebag is not my brother, he's the end result of a faulty condom. Besides, Brooke has been my best friend since before we could even walk, one would think that as her other best friend you would be on her side as well."

"There are no sides in this mess Brooke created, she was the one who took Rachel up on that stupid bet to seduce a Clean Teen and now we're suppose to feel sorry for her because she may or may not have been pregnant or are we suppose to rally behind her because Lucas finally got a clue and called her on what a whore she is?"

Nathan ran a frustrated hand over his tired face, lately his relationship with Peyton had become monotonous. True she's never been as overtly cheery as Brooke but ever since her mother died eight years ago she has been on a steady decline into the land of perpetual gloominess. Not even her dad remarrying two years ago to a funky art gallery owner named Ellie, seemed to lift her spirits and as far as stepmothers go Ellie is pretty cool.

No matter what Nathan has tried nothing appears to satisfy the blond, if he spends more time with her, she complains that he's being oppressive. If he tries to give her space, she claims that he's avoiding her and his personal favorite are her accusations that he'd rather be sleeping with Brooke. That was one allegation that never failed to make Nathan squirm because it was, in his mind, half true. Brooke has been his best friend for as long as he can recall, the one person who knows the Nathan Scott beneath Tree Hill High's basketball legend and Dan Scott's preferred scion.

She's the girl who will watch the movie, 'Little Shop of Horrors', repeatedly with him, laughing hysterically as he belts out the Dentist number and taking her role as Audrey to new heights during Suddenly Seymour. He can understand Peyton being a little envious of their close relationship but there are only so many times that he can reassure her that despite a game of, 'show me yours and I'll show you mine', when they were 13 years old, Nathan and Brooke are merely friends.

"You still mad that Brooke chose Gattina to be her co-captain?" Nathan mentally searches his brains rolodex , trying to figure out what's got Peyton's panties in a twist today. "You barely go to practice and when you are there all you do is complain, can you really blame the squad for picking someone whose actually gonna cheer?"

"If they want another perky Brooke Davis cheer-drone then fine by me," lifting an imaginary cup up she mock toasts her fellow squad members, "congratulations cocksucker you've earned it!"

Gathering up his book-bag, Nathan shakes his head taking one last look at his girlfriend. "What the hell happened to you Peyt?" He wonders, "If anyone had spoken about Brooke like that you would have flipped out on them, what's changed between you two?"

"Maybe I've finally saw Brooke for the person she really is?" Peyton tries to simplify the complicated relationship she has with her best friend. Truth is she knows she's being super critical of the girl she once thought of as a sister but lately other mitigating circumstances have caused her to become bitter even just thinking of Brooke.

Growing up it had never bothered her that Brooke came from one of the wealthiest families in town. Peyton's father and later her stepmother Ellie, gave her plenty of love and attention, providing her with whatever essentials she needed, where as Brooke's absentee parents threw cash at her and stuck her with a nanny from a very young age.

Brooke had never let money become a factor in their close knit friendship and Peyton never assumed it would be until she began dating Brooke's other best friend, Nathan Scott. Though to her credit, it's not really Brooke's fault either that Peyton constantly feels insecure about her relationship with the chosen Scott son. It was decided by their well to do parents that Nathan and Brooke would one day marry and merge their respective family fortunes. Even if Brooke casually brushes off all talk of her seemingly set in stone betrothal, it's kinda hard to ignore Dan Scott when he takes every chance he can get to remind Peyton that her place in Nathan's life is merely temporary.

"Look Ellie is working late at the gallery tonight and I have to start dinner so…"

"Yeah, I guess I'll see you tomorrow?" hiking his bag up his shoulder Nathan takes one last glance at his girlfriend then exits her room. It doesn't go unnoticed by Peyton that he didn't even attempt to kiss her goodbye.

"I can't believe those jerks voted you out of being co-captain," Haley exclaims, furiously wiping down the counter while Lucas sweeps the floor of his mother's café. "I mean what do they think this is Survivor?"

"Their official party line is that we have a good shot at State this year and feel that both captains need to have leadership and strategical skills to go all the way." Lucas shrugs, trying to pretend that it doesn't hurt to know that even though he bust his butt on the court all last season his fellow teammates still don't consider him one of them.

"So what's the real reason you were decaptainalized?" Haley asks skeptically

"Vegas' father owns that chain of sporting goods stores, 'Mighty Jocks', he donated all new fitness equipment and supplies so…" he trails off with another shrug hoping Haley will drop the issue or at the very least not bring up the other reason why Lucas was demoted.

Last year when he joined the basketball team his jackass of a half brother had given him a pretty hard time but that pales in comparison to the shit-storm that every member of the team has rained down upon his head because of what went down between him and the captain of the cheerleading squad. Though few know all of the gritty details of why their relationship suddenly imploded, that hasn't stopped the majority of Tree Hill High from siding with the most popular girl in school, while he was left to slink back into the shadows of the Rivercourt.

"Oh I forget to tell you," Haley interrupts his thoughts, "I talked to Shelly and she agreed that even though you're no longer a virgin you can recommit yourself to Clean Teens, sorta like a rebirth of your virginity, isn't that great?" Smiling broadly she fails to see the embarrassment in this situation.

"Hales, I don't think that's such a good idea?"

"Why not?" She asks, perplexed by her friends hesitation to rejoin the abstinence club she co-founded, "If it hadn't of been for those evil succubus cheer-sluts and their stupid Cherry Picking game you'd still be a full fledge member."

"It's not completely her fault Hales, I mean it's not like she forced me or anything." Lucas shuffles his feet and rubs the back of his neck nervously. This is the last thing he wants to discuss with Haley, for all of her brains and compassion she has some sort of mental block when it comes to the popular kids at their school, especially Brooke Davis. If Lucas was more courageous he'd say Haley was jealous of the beautiful brunette.

Haley emits a very unladylike snort, moving around the counter to clear off a table near the front of the small café, she continues her tirade on the dangers of getting caught in the black widows web of deceit.

"From what I've heard about what goes on at those parties she throws, I wouldn't be surprised if she drugged you just to get you into her bed."

He wants to tell Haley that she's wrong in her assessment of the brunette, that the real Brooke Davis is nothing like the shallow, callous self-absorbed character she is forced to portray in this small town's public eye. Lucas wants to tell Haley that the two and a half months he spent getting to know the true face behind the beautiful mask was the most exhilarating 77 days of his young life and he curses his unresolved daddy issues for the detriment of their failed romance. But he's not brave, he can't afford to alienate his only true ally, so he won't stand up for the one girl his heart beats for.

"…and really Luke," Haley rambles on unaware that Lucas was no longer listening, "with her reputation you had every right to doubt if the baby was yours."

a/n: alright, not really sure where this is going but I was jonesin for a little Brathan love and this is what came out. Let me know if I should continue?