One Tree Hill 1. Chapter 1

**I started writing this a while ago. I wanted to write a CPL fic for such a long time, but then as I did I just had to involve Brooke in too. It's my love for the Brooke&Chris pairing coming out. Any comments are appreciated, my writing is far from perfect I am very much aware of that, but I love doing it and I hope you enjoy reading.**

**Claire xx**

_**This is set pretty much at the start of season two. The main change in the story is that LP never cheated on Brooke. Brooke and Lucas are still together. NH still got married. Any other questions please just ask. **_

_**COUPLES: **Lucas&Peyton, Chris&Peyton, Brooke&Lucas, Brooke&Chris, someNathan&Haley_

**Chapter One**

Peyton threw her bag over her shoulder, quickly looking at herself in the mirror, just as she was about to run through the door, she stopped and really looked at herself. She looked a mess and like she hadn't slept in a week. She moved closer to the mirror, running her fingers through her hair, pulling it back off her face, and up into a ponytail. _"That will do"_ she thought as she glanced over at her clock, realising that she was already running late. She grabbed her bag off the floor that she had thrown down to get a better look at herself and ran downstairs and out the door, she jumped in her car and started the engine, the sound of the stereo immediately filling the air...

_I'm looking to the sky to save me, looking for a sign of life, looking for something help me burn out bright_

She hadn't really had much of a chance to take in everything that had happened over the last month. Of all the things she thought she would hear, Nathan Scott getting married would not have been one of them. She couldn't believe how much things could change in so little time, she never thought that Nathan could ever be someone she could be proud of, or even call a friend. He had changed so much, but maybe that's what love will do for you, when you meet the person that you know you are meant to be with, you become a better version of yourself. But she knew that it was Haley's influence that changed him.

She couldn't imagine her life without Haley now either, both of them two of her closest friends, she laughed out loud as the thought went through her mind, it was definitely something she never thought she would be able to say.

She tried to think back to the time where it had all began, but it seemed like someone else's life and someone else's memories. She had been different then. In some ways she was a better person then, in other ways she missed a lot of things about the person she used to be. Not many people had seen the change in her, in fact hardly anyone had. Everything had just progressed and then carried on, is if this was the person she had always been. All except one.

The funny thing was, it was the last person she ever expected it be. Lucas Scott. The one person she had fought against letting in again and again, he had finally broken through her exterior. The night of the college party that Brooke had dragged her too, changed_everything. _She had always felt like she was searching, desperately looking for something it was what had always driven her to the next thing, what made her walk in that room that night, what had made her so vulnerable.

Lucas was another person Peyton never thought she would ever be this close too, ever since they came crashing into each others life, literally, for Peyton nothing had ever been the same. For her it had been easy to live behind a stereotype, letting people look at from the outside, just judging her for what they saw. But when she looked around her life, it was just easier to go along with it. She in a way was comfortable with being seen as the girlfriend of star of the basketball team, best friends with the head cheerleader. And the truth was she just wasn't brave enough to break free of it. That was enough, at least that way it wasn't on her, she was just the add on, the thing that was second best. And as long as she had that, she could keep her walls up that she had taken so long to build.

But then_ one_ person, all it took was one person to make them come crashing down again. She had no idea how he had managed to do it, or even why she found herself wanting to open up to him, to let him into her life, but she did – she wanted that more than anything. But as soon as she felt him pulling closer to her, she instinctively pulled away, the Peyton Sawyer speciality. She figured if she kept pushing him away, eventually like everyone else that had tried he would give up. But not this boy, even after she rejected him and walked away from, he still came back saving her. And she didn't know why. She didn't even feel like she was worth saving herself, so why could anyone else possibly see anything worth saving? Even that night after the party she had gone to with Brooke, she didn't understand, but she saw the look in he's eyes as he sat over her as she lay in bed, so much worry and concern in them, she could see that from that moment he would always be there to protect her, she felt herself actually wanting to let him in, she found herself apologising. For everything. All the pushing away she had done, for everything. It had never been him, it was all her. And she had needed him and wanted him more than anything.

But some things always come to late. And that was another speciality of hers.

She knew she was too late. Brooke flirting with Lucas wasn't something that was unusual. She had watched it happen time and time again with a pain in her heart and a sickness rising, always unable to admit to herself why. And as she watched them after that night, she knew why. Because she wanted to be the person who could make Lucas smile like that, who could make him laugh. Because it wasn't Brooke she saw the change in, it was _him. _He was different with Brooke, a side of him that she hadn't seen with anyone else.

Almost instinctively she pushed any feeling she had aside. The anger at herself rising again, pushing him and Brooke away. Always thinking what if? Always wondering about what could have been if she hadn't been so scared.

Both of them saw it. They saw her pulling away. And both of them tried to fight their way back. Neither of them willing to let go. Because that's just who they were. Brooke was her best friend, and she always would be, there are some things that are futile in trying to fight. And Lucas with his determination to always make sure she was okay, to protect her. She was wasting energy in trying to fight it. And eventually gave in, putting on a smile that she had perfected, insisting she was okay, hoping that one day she would be.

It wasn't as hard as she had expected it to be. There were things that came with feeling how she did. She knew that time would pass, and feelings would fade and eventually she may have even forgiven herself for letting go of something that she knew could have been amazing. But things like Brooke and how she changed made it worth it. Peyton had always seen something in Brooke that others seemed to miss, but now, it was as if Brooke had been walking around in the dark her whole life and someone had finally turned the lights on, and she could see everything and how there was so much more than the little world she lived in.

And Lucas. The connection and friendship they shared only growing stronger as time passed by. They shared the same passion for music and art and he some how inspired her to be more brave when it came to both those things. To have faith in something that you love that much. And she wanted that. She _believed_ in that. And for a long time those two things provided her with something, a release. A way of saying everything she felt without even having to vocalise it.

That's why when things changed this time. It had hit her harder than ever before.

Things were good. _Really _good. She had a group of friends like she had never had before, in fact she would even go as far to say that she felt happy. The happiest she felt in a while. It was so strong that for some reason she didn't trust it. She found herself constantly questioning why. What had she done to deserve such comfort? Who was she to deserve to feel like this? The self pitying was something Brooke often picked up on in Peyton and would immediately remind her that everyone deserved to be happy, and most people would find comfort in that.

Maybe that was Peyton's fault. She wasn't just anybody. And happiness always seemed to come with a fall. Something waiting around the corner to knock you down. But it hadn't happened. She almost found herself giving over to the feeling. Ignoring the little voice in her head that was telling her to be cautious and to not lose herself in it. Even when they had all sat down at Lucas' Mum's cafe, like they did most Friday nights, and Karen had approached Peyton for some advice about opening an all ages club in town. Peyton was taken aback by the question and even more so by Lucas and Brooke's smiling faces from across the table. She was even more shocked when Karen asked her to go look at the place she had in mind for the club and get her opinion, and after that when Karen had decided she was defienetly going ahead with the idea as long as she had Peyton's help, even through all those things, those things that she had only ever dreamed of being a part of, she still didn't cave and let the feeling win. She was still waiting. Waiting for thing to knock her down.

And she had a small idea what it might be. They were now 2 weeks from opening the club. And they were nowhere near ready. Peyton had been put in charge of two things. One was

any art work. Karen had the idea to have one of the main walls at the side of the stage painted by one Peyton Sawyer. Her art on display for everyone to see, on a huge scale, hers to do with whatever she wanted. And she had nothing. A sketch book full of scribbled out ideas, and screwed up paper on her bedroom floor.

But worse much more worse than that. They had no band. Peyton remembered clearly the conversation she had with Karen about the importance of a really great band, especially on their opening night. And she had nothing. She had been sitting outside the only music store in Tree Hill for the last ten minutes, completely lost her thoughts and unbelievably scared of going inside. She knew she could go inside and ask Max if he knew anyone locally who could perform, the guy knew the local scene and he would no doubt have the answer. But she almost felt like she was cheating. Like she wasn't doing it herself.

She looked down to the flyer she held in hand. It was lame. _Auditions. _How many bands were going to want to come and play in an all ages club for practically nothing? She sighed heavily and got out the car slamming the door shut behind her. All he could do was laugh in her face and not much worse than that.

Peyton could hear the music playing from outside the store. The sign still said closed but she took her chances pushing it open to walk in. It was empty, the only thing filling the room was the sound from the stereo. The music was unfamiliar to her, it wasn't the usual 80's metal that Max would listen too. She walked through the door of the music store and looked around, there was no one in sight, she sighed heavily, the truth was she hadn't been here in a really long time. She didn't know when it happened but the passion that she had for music, the feeling it gave her – was fading away. It was the main reason Peyton had agreed to helping Karen with TRIC, she thought that maybe it would help her feel inspired by music again, the way she used to be. The way she used to feel when she heard a song for the first time, a feeling that she couldn't describe, she loved that feeling it made her feel safe, and she missed it.

She heard a noise near the counter at the end of the shop and she slowly made her way towards it, when she got there she leaned far over the counter looking around for Max. Suddenly someone jumped up from under the counter.

"GOD! What the hell are you doing? You scared the life out of me" Peyton clutched her hand to her chest and looked at the stranger in front of her. She hadn't seen him in here before, but then she hadn't been around to notice. He was tall with mousy brown hair, he almost looked out of place with his unconventional dress sense and more than that there was an air about him, a kind of arrogance.

"I scared _you_? Lady you're the one leaning over the counter" Who the hell was this guy? He had only spoke one sentence to her and already she was pissed off. He wasn't even looking at her as he spoke, moving back under the counter moving things around.

"I heard a noise. I thought maybe someone broke in or something... seeing as no one was around..."

He was back standing up again. This time looking at her "Wow. That's an interesting story" His voice was heavy in sarcasm "But I'm looking for something and I actually have things to do. So if you don't mind" And he was gone again, sorting through a mess of CD's under the counter.

"Well what are you looking for?"

"You're kinda nosy" His face appeared above the counter this time.

"Yeah well you're kinda rude"

He looked away and picked up a box of CD's before moving around to the front of the counter. As he reached her he smiled widely "Thanks"

Peyton couldn't seem to move from the spot, her face she knew was looking in complete and utter shock. Even as he moved away from her and started to put out the CD's onto the racks, she found herself unable to move, still holding her dumb flyers in her hand.

"Is there anything in particular you want? Or do you just like to come into music stores and harass the staff?"

Peyton turned slowly to look at him, again he was still carrying on working, barely registering her presence. She breathed in deeply. Trying to ignore the fact that she had just met the biggest ass on the planet and hoping Max was hiding around here somewhere.

"Is Max here?"

He finally turned to look at her again and held his hands up "Does it look like it?"

Peyton scoffed, as whoever this jerk was smiled smugly at her before returning back to he's "work"

"Whats that you got there?"

He gestured towards the leaflets Peyton had hold of, he managed to gesture whilst not looking away from what he was doing and also seemed uninterested all at once. She was pretty sure that this guy had to be the rudest person she had ever met. Resigned to the fact that Max wasn't here, she stepped closer to him.

"_This_is what I want to talk to Max about..."

"Yeah well, as we established blondie he's not here"

Peyton opened her mouth to respond but her words seemed to fail her. She could feel the anger rising up and she was torn between storming out or punching this guy in the face.

"Any idea when he'll be back?"

"Probably about a couple of months at a guess"

Peyton went to nod her head after his response, but it sunk in exactly what he had said. "Wait... what?"

"Guess. Couple. Of. Months. Are you following or am I talking to fast for you?"

Peyton had made her decision. She most defienetly wanted to punch him "Wow. Well _thanks_. You have been real helpful" She started to move towards the door, mumbling "jackass" as she went, hoping she said it just loud enough so he could hear.

"Look, he went travelling, something about going to see the world and find himself and a lot of crap like that. He didn't say for how long. So if _that's_ something you need to talk to someone about whose in charge, then I'm your guy. And you got five minutes. Starting now"

Peyton saw him step closer towards her, the same smug smile from before etched across his face. The urge to punch him only seemed to be growing stronger.

"Oh and the names Chris. Keller. And you got 4 minutes 27 seconds left"


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two **

Lucas was usually fairly patient, and by now he really should have been used to Peyton being late to meet him, but he couldn't help but feel overly anxious. He had been stressing over what to buy Brooke for their six month anniversary, and even after a dozen conversations with her stating that whatever he got her Brooke would love, he had still come up with nothing. He couldn't help but think that it really shouldn't be that hard to get a gift for her. He _knew_ Brooke. He knew exactly what type of perfume she wore, what jewellery she liked, really it should have been easy. He was putting too much pressure and importance on the gift, and not what really mattered, the fact that they had lasted six months, as Peyton had so kindly pointed out. He looked at his clock again and sighed, she was only half hour late, and in Peyton terms that was so bad. He laughed to himself and lay back on his bed, he couldn't help but find it funny that he was waiting for Peyton, so she could help him find a gift for Brooke.

After everything they had been through at the start of their friendship, it seemed strange now to think about how far they had come. The thing with Peyton was, she understood him in a way that no one else could, and he understood her the same, there was no describing the connection between them it was something that had just always been there, and now they were here, friends.

He remembered a time when he had watched from afar into a life that intrigued him so much. Everything about her seemed to draw him in. He would find himself watching her in class and she continued to sketch in her book, completely oblivious to him. Even after the first time they properly talked, he never imagined they would be here. There had been so many moments when he felt like she was letting him in, but just as he felt the closeness between them, she would run away. He couldn't deny that it had hurt him. That she had hurt him. After the night of the dreadful party at Dan's house, he could feel himself start to back away, putting himself out there only to receive constant rejection was too much for Lucas. He wanted to know her to be there for her, but sometimes it seemed like an impossible task.

He had almost resigned himself to the fact that the two of them were too different. Their worlds would never collide. There might always be something on the surface, but it would never go deeper. And then he got that call from Brooke. All he could hear were the faint sounds of Brooke's voice trembling as she spoke, telling him Peyton was in trouble. It was like something took him over inside and everything else that he had thought previously was out the window. All he could think about was getting there to _her._

But the one thing that sticks out the most to him about that night was Brooke. He saw a side to her that he never thought existed. A genuine concern for her friend. There was no facade with Brooke. No hidden meanings, she was who she was, and Lucas couldn't help but be drawn to her. She opened up about her parents and her life, and he saw more to her than anyone else, except for Peyton probably knew there was to her.

He watched Peyton sleeping as Brooke spoke, he realised that things didn't always need to be so complicated, they already were so much in he's life, not that he saw Peyton as a complication, he knew he wanted to be in her life, but the feelings he had were changing, he wanted to protect Peyton, to be someone in her life that made things easier, not harder – and as he watched Brooke talk animatedly about something, he smiled. It was in that moment that he started to fall for Brooke Davis, she had something about her, a charm, that just seemed to pull people in.

Before he left that night he wanted to make sure Peyton was okay, that she had woken up, when she finally did they spoke briefly, and he watched the gratitude in her eyes, the genuine apology from her lips, and he saw in her someone who would always be in he's life, the feeling of anger and worry as she held her head as it pounded – all resurfacing, he never wanted to feel like this again so worried about someone else, he knew for that reason he would always be there for her.

And that is how they had all ended up here. Brooke his girlfriend, and Peyton his closest friend. She had slowly come to trust Lucas. She had slowly opened up to him. The two of them often going to concerts of bands that Brooke didn't like, and talking on the journey home about growing up, and friends and everything.

He lifted his head slightly off the pillow to look at the clock once more, Peyton was now 45 minutes late. Lucas pulled himself off the bed and searched around for his cell, he usually wouldn't bother calling, knowing what Peyton was like, but he was already nervous enough, and this seemed to be making it worse. He heard a knock on the door and laughed to himself, rushing over quickly to open it.

"It's about time Sawyer... oh hey Nate" He shook his head and let Nathan in, and quickly looked outside for any sign of Peyton.

"Peyton late again?"

"Peyton late? That never happens" The sarcasm in Lucas' voice was heavy and he laughed to himself as he shut the door. He threw his cell on his bed and sat down. Nathan had that look on his face where he wanted to talk to him about something, and he figured seeing as it looked as though, he would be going nowhere anytime soon, he may as well sit it out talking to Nathan, about whatever he had done wrong this week.

Something else that made him smile now, was that he actually gave a crap about Nathan Scott. If someone had told him that a year ago he would have laughed in their face, especially if they said that he was married to he's best friend too. But he wouldn't have taken it back for anything. He couldn't imagine his life without Nathan as a brother now.

"So what did you do?"

"What do you mean? What did I do?" Nathan looked at Lucas quizzically.

"Usually when you turn up here Nate, it means that you have pissed off Haley and you need to figure out what will fix it"

"You noticed that huh? Well that's not why I am here now. I was thinking, I really want to throw some kind of reception for Haley, you know for the wedding, I thought we could get everyone involved. Surprise her with it"

"That sounds like a really great idea. I know my Mum was really sad about not getting to be at the ceremony..."

"Well it wasn't exactly planned. It was only because Haley insisted that you Brooke and Peyton were there"

"Oh thanks Nathan..." Lucas smiled at his brother.

"No you know what I mean, I wanted you guys there too. So, you think Karen would let us have the party at TRIC?"

"I can't see why not, but the opening is Friday, so maybe we should wait till next week to have it you know?"

"Okay that's fine"

Nathan moved across the room and picked Lucas basketball off his desk. Sometimes Lucas' did find it strange that he was close to Nathan now, but at the same time, he realised he was lucky that he had him in he's life, he looked at how Dan and Keith were with each other, and that was not a way he wanted to be with he's brother, and just because their parents had all this history that didn't mean it had to effect Nathan and Lucas' friendship.

"So you coming to rivercourt?"

"Nah, I can't. I got to wait for Peyton, if she ever decides to show up. I need her help deciding what to get Brooke for our six month anniversary"

Nathan smiled slightly "Peyton? She's helping you find a gift for Brooke?"

She's Brooke closest friend – who knows her better? Besides, I suck at stuff like this, I've been trying to think of something for the past week and..."

The smile grew wider on Nathan's face as Lucas continued talking "What?"

"Nothing. Its just weird that its you and Peyton. Buying a gift for Brooke"

Lucas shook his head at his brother "Its not me and Peyton – its me buying the gift, Peyton helping. Stop being weird"

"Sorry!" Nathan held his hands up "Its just you and Peyton... you know?"

"Nate, there is no me and Peyton. We're friends, she like one of my my best friends, And Brooke – I'm kinda crazy about her"

"I know you are. Its just..."

"You know you can be a pain in the ass?"

"Something else we have in common then?"

"Bye Nate"

Lucas smiled to himself as he made he's way over to he's closet pulling out he's jacket. Nathan always did this, he liked to make comments about how weird he found it that him, Brooke and Peyton were all friends, he didn't get why Nathan found it so weird, it had just been something that happened, it was inevitable, Brooke and Lucas were together and Peyton is Brooke's best friend, its not like him and Peyton could avoid each other. And why would he want to, he cared a lot about Peyton, and they were important in each others lives.

He threw his jacket on the bed. Nathan just liked to annoy him about it, an anytime he could bring it up he would. He glanced over at the clock again and the door swung open and slammed against the wall.

"I just met the biggest ass"

"Nice to see you too Peyton"

"Hey" Peyton threw herself down on the bed and sighed heavily "I just went to the record store, and I met the biggest jerk. It turns out Max has gone of on some kind of trip around Europe to find himself or whatever, and left the store in the hands of some dumb ass called Chris Keller"

"And why is this poor guy a dumb ass exactly?"

Peyton sat up quickly and glared at Lucas "Don't show any sympathy for him Lucas he was just totally rude to me. Seriously Luke, he took one look at the leaflet about under ages night and practically laughed in my face"

Lucas sat down next to her "So what did you do?"

"I just left"

"You left? That doesn't sound like the Peyton Sawyer I know and love. You should go back there and make him listen you, some jerk in a record store can't be any match to you. Besides you dated pod Nathan, if you can go through that then you can pretty much handle anything"

Peyton breathed out heavily and threw herself back onto the bed "Fine! But if I kill him, I am blaming you"

"I'm okay with that. Now... can we go? Seeing as you were already like an hour late, I don't have much time before the store closes and I have got to get Brooke a gift"

"Lucas are you still stressing over that? I told you, just get her that bracelet you saw, you know she'll love it"

Lucas sighed "I just, I wanted something perfect you know? Special"

"Whatever you get her she is going to love. So you take my advice, buy her the damn bracelet"

"Fine. But if she hates it, I am blaming you"

Peyton sat up again and smiled at Lucas "I'm okay with that"

Peyton jumped off the bed quickly and pulled her bag over her shoulder.

"Right you can drop me off at the store and then go see your jerk"

"What I have to go do that now?"

Lucas nodded "I'm doing what you say, so you do what I say"

Peyton smiled and opened the door "Thanks Lucas"

Lucas just smiled as he pulled on his coat and headed towards the door to stand by Peyton.

"You never let me give up"

As they started walking towards Peyton's car Lucas laughed slightly "That's cos I know what your like. I'm the same"

Lucas jumped in the car, as Peyton started to move away his mind wandered back to

Peyton's advice with the present for Brooke. Truth was he knew how excited Brooke was about it, she had been mentioning it all the time, and he wanted to make it special for her, and even though it was just a present, it meant something to him that she liked it.

He turned to look out of the window as the scenery flew by. He wished he could have the same excitement. The truth was he was putting all his effort into this gift, he hoped that if he could make it perfect, that if he could make things perfect just this one night between them, the thing that seemed missing would eventually be filled. Sometimes when he looked at Brooke, he felt like she was a million miles away and no matter how much he tried to reach her he couldn't seem to be able to.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

Chris remembered the day like it was yesterday. The day he managed to get out of this town. He never once looked back, he got on that bus without even a second thought of what he was leaving behind, he just knew that he was destined for something else, that there was something out there waiting for him. There had to be more to life than this.

He never felt like he had fitted in. Even at school, he had he's friends, but he always felt disconnected from them, they just didn't understand why he wanted out of Tree Hill so badly, and he couldn't understand why any of them clung onto it so tightly. So when the day came of finishing High School, Chris was gone, he barely even said goodbye. He woke up the day after (barely) graduating and he left, onto bigger and better things. At least that was he's plan.

From playing a few bars he had managed to get some interest about touring, it wasn't anything big but it was a start, he had agreed to meet up with the tour a few towns over, and that was when it all began 4 years of he's life that he wouldn't take back for anything, possibly the best four years of he's life, he especially thought that now, as he looked around the small record store that he was back working in, this wasn't how he had expected things to be at all. Back in the same small town, the same place of work, but with fewer dreams.

He knew it was always a risk, that nothing is ever sealed in stone, but he really believed he had made something, that for once in he's life he was gonna get something right. But its crazy how life can just pull those ideas right from underneath you, without you even realising it being done.

He remembered the night before he was about to sign he's contract, suddenly getting a call saying the deal had been pulled out, this happened all the time, it was one of those things, at that time he still believed something else would come up, he just had to keep on touring, keep on doing what he loved more than anything, play music. But that same night was the night he was told that he was no longer needed on the tour, that they had a new singer with interest they wanted to have, and he wasn't needed anymore. He figured there would be something else, something new would happen. But after a month of being left behind in a dingy town with about 20 to he's name, he realised that he didn't have much else of a choice but to return to the one place that he had promised himself he would never go back, that so called place that was home.

He moved behind the counter, opening the CD player and changing the CD. He didn't rarely feel sorry for himself, but he was having one of those days. And having to deal with serving teenagers out for buying whatever music was "hot" this month really wasn't he's idea of the perfect job. He turned up the music, stood up and leaned against the counter, the words humming through he's ears.

**_So here I go still scratching around in the same old hole my body feels young but my mind if very old_**

He sighed heavily and turned, and jumped out if he's skin when face to face, with blonde curly and a pissed off expression that he knew from earlier that day. He smiled to himself, looked down at the stereo about to turn it down, but instead he moved round the front picked up a stack of CD's and started filling up, he watch the blonde girls eyes follow him around the store, he heard her voice slightly under the loud music, but he carried on, he knew he was getting to her. Suddenly the music went quiet and her voice was very clear.

"Are you always this much of an ass?"

He turned quickly over to the counter and saw her standing behind it near the stereo "Hey, get out from there"

"Fine. I will. When you actually hear me out about this club"

Chris shook his head "Look Curly, there's nothing I'd love more than to help you promote your little under ages club, but some of actually wanna do something worthwhile with our time"

"Oh right cos working in small town record store is everyone's dream job right?"

He looked up at her slightly taken aback by her responding that way, usually after a few of he's comments people got the hint and they gave up and left just like she had done before, but this girl was different she wasn't going anyway, she stood with her hands on her hips glaring him down.

And the thing was she actually had a point.

"Look, all I want to do is post these flyers in your damn store, maybe see if you can loan some records for the night, its not like I'm asking you to chaperone. Here look I'll make it really easy for you, I bought pins"

She moved around from the counter with a determination and confidence, Chris couldn't help but smile as she started to pin a few of the flyers on the wall.

"There" She held her hands up and turned to look at him, her face was expecting a comment back from him he could tell "Great, now you finally shut up"

Chris turned and looked at the flyer, the artwork was amazing, a microphone standing out with a stage and a crowd full of people in the background, everything done so perfectly.

He wondered if this girl in front of him had done that, and if she realised how intriguing to him she was.

"Did you draw this?"

"Yeah" Her voice sounded defensive "What you want to have a go at me for that too?"

Chris looked at her briefly before turning back to look at the flyer "No. Its amazing. Why are you holding auditions?"

"Because usually having live acts brings in a crowd. And god knows were are going to need one"

He looked back towards her again, she was looking down at the pile of flyers in her hand. Her voice had sounded nervous, sad even. She seemed to be putting a lot of effort into this for some reason and he couldn't help but feel slightly bad for brushing her aside so quickly. People rarely surprised Chris. He found most people fairly predictable. So the fact that someone stood in front of him now, going against that, he was taken aback.

"Look, I gotta go, so will you help me or not?"

Chris nodded "Sure"

"Really? You're going to help?"

"I said sure didn't I?"

He watched her as she looked at him carefully "Right. Well be at the address on there, tomorrow at noon. Bring some music"

"Yes boss"

She frowned before she turned away from him and headed to the door "Hey. What's your name?"

"Peyton Sawyer"

"Nice to meet you Peyton Sawyer"

He smiled and moved behind the counter, returning the volume of the song up high again. Since he had arrived here, he felt like everything had been going further and further down hill, so he didn't know why now, how one girl could have such an effect on him, could cause such a reaction. But he took it, because it had been a long time since he had felt anything, a long time since he had anything he believed in.

_**You can't give me the dreams that are mine anyway - you're half the world away**_


	4. AN

So I have just the crappiest news.

My computer crashed a couple of days ago, so I had to reset the whole system and I lost all my files I had saved on my computer including this story. I had it all written and ready to post the chapters, but now its gone.

I am moving in a couple of days as well and I really don't know when I am going to be able to get my computer up to where I am moving, seeing as I am crashing with a friend for a while. Once I am settled and all that hopefully I'll be able to get my stories finished.

Thanks so much to anyone who has been reading and many apologies, I hope you'll come back and carry on reading when I start posting again,

Claire

xx


	5. Authors Note

**Hello all,**

**So I am some what finally settled after my move, and before I left, like I said I lost all my chapters that I had written of When You Come Back and Centre of Attention, by some kind of miracle and me being dumb and just forgetting, I had posted both the stories on another forum, and I remembered this the other day. So I now have them both saved on this computer and hopefully soon can get some updates up. I hope some of you out there are still interested in reading, sorry it has taken me so long to get these up. I am hoping they will be by the weekend.**

**Thanks,**

**Claire x**


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