Choosing My Own Way Of Life(Season 6, Episode 6)

Peyton is bummed out by Mick's dinner rejection, but she hides it pretty well from Lucas as he departs for Omaha on his first book signing. Hey, that's where Mouth is! Lucas is excited to catch up with his good buddy.

Haley discovers Samantha sleeping in one of the cars in the school's auto shop. The girls isn't homeless, as I surmised last time, just hiding out from her abusive foster parents.

Mick got completely smashed and passed out on a poll table in the recording studio.  While emerging from the haze of his hangover, he tells Peyton he would have "sucked" at being her father, and that he and Ellie did a good thing by giving her up for adoption. Drug addict mom, alcoholic dad...I see his point.

Nathan and Haley are apparently okay with Dan spending time with Jamie now, as Dan openly spends time with Jamie(no sneaking around.) watching Skillz spend time with Debra makes Dan all nostalgic, so he goes to the school hallway where he shot Keith. Nathan appears and burns his father, by comparing Dan to the person who killed Quentin.

No one shows up for Lucas' book signing(except for Mouth, and a little girl who wants Lucas to sign her "Gossip Girl" book for some reason.)The rep from the book obviously hasn't even read the book, as he believes it's science fiction based on the title. It's called "The Comet," after Peyton's car of course. To add insult to injury one of Mouth's fans shows up and has Lucas snap a photo of him with his sports broadcasting hero.

Mouth and Millicent did not break up, they're just doing the long distance thing now. So, that's a relief. The rep cancels all of Lucas' other book tour dates, so he must return home  a miserable failure.

Nathan may get to play basketball again after all. Actually, it's Slamball, a variation of basketball in which the players fly through the air and dunk by jumping on trampolines. It looks REALLY freakin' dangerous. If Boy Wonder's back can't handle regular basketball, how could it handle this? 

Anyway, Owen is playing on one of the teams. His storyline with Brooke ended rather abruptly didn't it? He promises that if Nathan joins, he will act as a sort of enforcer to keep Nathan from being crippled. That's nice.

Speaking of Brooke, she finally comes clean and tells Peyton about her attack. She kind of has to, after Peyton walks in on her staring at her creepy mirror art.

Brooke is moved by Haley's story of Samantha's plight, so she offers to let the girl stay with her for a while. The two of them have a lot on common, especially regarding lousy parents.

It's time for Mick to leave. He reiterates that giving up Peyton was the right thing.  Peyton no longer angry, agrees. She thinks Mick for this. He leaves her his sobriety token, which he calls his most prized possession. Thanks, Dad. Imagines Sarcastic Peyton voice.

CLIFFHANGER(S) Mouth catches Lucas at the airport, He wants to get the hell out of Omaha, and the two decide to drive together back to Tree Hill rather than fly. They leave, they come back again. The Max* has spoken.....

*Max, Peyton's friend played by Mark Schwahn, is the "god" of Tree Hill, who needs the characters to come back to fulfill their destinies. My completely cockamamie theory based on absolutely no evidence whatsoever.