Lucas watches as his oldest daughter sinks the final basket of the night, just in time to win the game. He jumps up screaming and smiling over at his wife. Her beautiful brunette hair falling around her shoulders as she laughs at his histaria, baby clutched to her hip. His attention turns back to the floor where his daughter is bounding toward him grabbing him by the neck. "Did you see it Luke?" she squeals, "Wasn't it a perfect shot?"
"As always," Lucas says grinning ear to ear at the curley blond standing before him with bright green eyes shining. In her barely sixteen years she had seen so much life and lost.
"That shot was for Momma!" She winks at him before turning and heading over to her friends.
Brooke makes her way over to a rather sad looking Lucas, "You look like you just lost your best friend! She won!"
"I think my heart breaks everytime she says that." Lucas says quietly.
"What?" Brooke looks from Lucas to where their daughter is standing being huged by every Tree Hill High student.
"That shot was for Momma." Lucas repeats with a sigh.
"Lucas, you gotta know she loves us." Brooke says gently, "But we aren't her family."
"That's just it Brooke, it's been nearly two years! When do we get to be her family?" Lucas says angrily.
"I don't know that we do. We don't get to replace her Luke, that isn't how this works. She's doing good, and she's happy. She's our in so many ways. Just not in her eyes yet." Brooke puts her hand on his chest, "Give it time."
"I've given it almost two years." Lucas sighs again. "I'm sorry, I just..."
"I know." Brooke nods gently again glancing where their daughter is laughing with her friends. She makes her way over, "Lizzy, sweetie be home by midnight okay?"
"Right Brooke," Lizzy turns her curly blond head to face Brooke, "I'll be there. Thanks for coming!" she hugs her, then puts her finger to the baby's nose, "You better be sleeping when I get home little one. No midnight stroles tonight."
Brooke laughs, "She better be down, or I'm not gonna be happy."
"You love her and you love setting up watching her sleep. You think I don't know this?" Lizzy puts her hands on her hips, "You don't wait up just because I'm out."
"I do too." Brooke says firmly. "I worry and so does Lucas."
"You don't have to." Lizzy says gently, "I'm okay."
"You're doing great, but it doesn't stop us. We love you, you know that right?" Brooke asks, searching the girls green eyes.
"I know you love me Brooke." Lizzy smiles gently at Brooke.
One A.M. The same night...
"I'm going to strangle her when I find her!" Brooke says hanging up with yet another of Lizzy's friends.
"Brooke, she may have had car trouble." Lucas says holding a fussy baby, "Know please calm down. She'll be here soon."
"Lucas Scott! How can you set there when our daughter is out there and we can't find her!" Brooke rounds on him hands on hips and eyes shooting fire.
"Brooke, you know the rule, don't worry for atleast two hours." Lucas says with a sigh.
"I can't help it, I have a really bad feeling." Brooke sighs as well. "Luke, what is something terrible has happened?"
"Nothing terrible will happen." Lucas assures his wife although he himself is nervous. Just then came a irraly hollow knock on their door, both Lucas and Brooke were frozen in their spots.
Finally Brooke moves to the door, finding two cops there. "Oh GOD!" She screams, "LUKE!"
"Mrs. Scott?" says one of the officers.
"Yes," says Brooke quietly, "She's not dead is she?"
"Elizabeth Sawyer is your daughter correct." the officer asks.
"Yes," Lucas confirms.
"I'm sorry to have to tell you there's been an accident. She's at Tree Hill Memorial. She was critical at the scen, but I'm not sure what has happened since..." the second officer says gently.
Brooke clapses into tears, as Lucas stands stunned. Critial, Tree Hill Memorial, hurt, run through his mind. "Thank you" He manages before practically closing the door in their faces. Pictures of the night nearly two years ago when officers had shown up on their doorstep come flashing back to him, and he pushes them aside. He dials Haley's number relaying all the information he can, helps Brooke calm down while waiting on Haley to pick up the baby. Then finaly he is on his way to the hospital, clasping Brooke hand tightly.
Meanwhile...
Elizabeth Sawyer looks down at herself laying on the cold ground, paramedics drinched in rain surrounding her. "What the heck?" she says looking up and around. Her car is mangeled to a point she almost doesn't recognize it.
"Were you drinking?" Asks a formiliar voice behind her.
Lizzy turns to look at her, she has the same wild blond curls, bright green eyes, and slight smile. "Momma!" Lizzy leaps forward.
"You didn't answer me." Payton says ounce Lizzy had reliquished her hold on her.
"Of course not Momma!" Lizzy rolls her eyes but stops, "Wait if you're here...then am I? Well that's to say are we both?" she can't seem to find the right words.
"Dead?" Payton supplies.
"Well, yeah." says Lizzy turning back to look at her own limp body.
"Yes and no." Payton says, "I'm dead, you're, well not dead yet."
Lizzy turns back to her mother, "Then why are you here, and how come I'm outta my body?"
"I needed to talk to you." Payton shrugs. "Lizzy it is your choice if you live or die. But there are a few things you need to see and hear."
"Like?" Lizzy demands putting her hands on her hips.
"Come with me," Payton says taking Lizzy's hand.
"Did you see the shot tonight?" Lizzy asks.
"I see them all." Payton says smiling over at her daughter. The road they were walking on has know turned into the livingroom of Brooke and Lucas's house. However, the day is years previous. Lucas, Brooke and Payton are all cooing over a small infant, in a light pink blanket. "Recognize the baby?" Payton asks.
Lizzy, who is still trying to figure out how they got here looks down, "Should I?"
"It's you." Payton says watching as the younger version of herself lays the baby down and turns to Lucas and Brooke.
"Me?" Lizzy asks.
Lucas speaks, "She got a full name yet Peyt?"
The younger Payton smiles broadly, "Elizabeth Brooklyn Sawyer."
"Oh Payton I love it!" Brooke squeals.
"There's more!" Payton continues, "I know this is a lot to ask, but could you possibly be her Godparents? I know it's a lot, but with Jackson gone and everything..." Payton's voice trails off.
"Oh sweetie, we would love that more then you will ever know!" Brooke hugs Payton. "I can't wait to have one of our own!" she looks at Lucas.
Lucas laughs, "I'm sure we can share her for know. We agreed, that I would get settled in the coaching job, and such before trying for another baby."
Lizzy looks at Payton, "Another baby?"
"Yes," Payton says sadly, "they lost one right before I became pregnant with you. Nearly broke Brooke's heart."
"I never new that, she never said. I mean I new they hadn't had kids but...lost a baby?" Lizzy stares at the young couple cooing over the infant version of herself.
"Yes," Payton nods, "After your father died in Iraq they were the only family we had."
Lizzy watches as the scene changes and they are know at Rivercourt. "What are we doing here?" she asks, "This place was destroyed years ago."
"See that guy?" Payton points toward a young man setting on the bleachers tieing a child's shoe.
"Lucas?" Lizzy asks looking at Payton who nods her head to confirm, "And that's me again!"
"You were four, and Lucas had just finished his first book. I was sick, and you were so crazy wild. He brought you here. Do you remember what happened?" Payton asks watching Lucas and Lizzy.
"I made a jump shot." Lizzy smiles.
"More then that." Payton says.
"But my Daddy was a hero?" the younger Lizzy asks.
"Yes Lizzy you're daddy was a hero." Lucas says gently.
"Are you a hero?" Lizzy asks looking up at him.
Lucas laughs, "I don't think so."
"But you are a hero Lucas!" Lizzy proclaims, "You fixed my knee, then you killed the nasty spider for Brooke!"
"Well then maybe I am some sort of a hero." Lucas chuckles.
Lizzy seems to think for a second, "Jamie laughed at me the other day."
"Why was Jamie laughing at you?" Lucas asks pulling the child onto his lap.
"Becuase I don't have no Daddy." Lizzy says sadly.
"You DO have a Daddy. He just had to go to Heaven and watch over you. And whenever you get scared or you get sad, just remember he's always with you." Lucas hugs the child.
"What about you?" Lizzy turns to look at Lucas, "Are you always with me?"
"Always Pretty Girl." Lucas kisses her forhead.
Lizzy blinks back tears, "He always was right there."
"He always will be." Payton says looking at Lizzy. "Our time is almost up, we have to hurry."
"Hurry?" Lizzy asks, but the scene around them is changing. Lizzy finds herself ounce more in Lucas and Brooke's livingroom. "What's this?"
"This is the day that I died." Payton says watching Lizzy for a reaction.
"I don't want to see this. I can't bare to see her cry" Lizzy turns her back on the scene.
"She's upset." Payton says putting a gentle hand on Lizzy's shoulder, "You love her huh?"
"She'll never be my Mom!" Lizzy says firmly.
"She's not trying." Payton says. "Elizabeth, Brooke loves you. So does Lucas. In a strange way you are their connection to me."
Tears form in Lizzy's eyes, "They are good people Momma, but I feel like I'm betraying you."
"No, I want you to be happy." Payton says. "Lizzy, you were my greatest acomplishment in this world, do you think I would leave you with anybody I didn't trust?"
"That's just it Momma, what if I can't live up to that. What if I break their hearts? They have a daughter of their own know!" Lizzy says, tears falling unchecked.
"You will always be my daughter, but you are theirs as well. Elizabeth, this is how it goes. This was the plan, and yeah it stinks. But just know that where ever you go and whatever you do, I'm right here with you." Payton places a hand over Lizzy's heart. "But there's enough room for everybody."
The scene changes and Brooke and Lucas are rushing into the hosptial, "Our daughter was brought into here." Brooke says to a nurse, "Elizabeth Sawyer."
Lizzy watches as a nurse ushers them into a waiting room. Payton and Lizzy follow. "Their daughter?"
"That's what they think of you as." Payton waches as Brooke sobs into Lucas's chest.
"They asked if I wanted to change my name, but I told them no. Wouldn't speak to them for nearly a week." Lizzy watches Lucas rub Brooke's back in circles.
"You could change it. It's just a name." Payton says.
"NO!" Lizzy says yelling turning to face her mother, "IT'S YOUR NAME!"
"So by keeping it you keep me?" Payton says calmly.
Lizzy looks confused, "Maybe I donno!"
"My middle name was Elizabeth." Payton reasons. "They wanted to share their name with you."
Lizzy looks back at Brooke and Lucas, "I miss you Momma."
"I'm never far away." Payton whispers. "You have to choice, come with me, or live out your destined life with them."
"If I come with you I die." Lizzy says quietly. "What's it like?"
"I can't tell you that." Payton says.
"Will I see you again?" Lizzy looks at her mother.
"Everytime you look inside your heart." Payton smiles.
"Then I think I have to stay. I think they need me." Lizzy says.
"I think you made the right choice." Payton hugs her gently, "And remember, I'm always so proud of you. I'm never far away." Payton fades.
Lizzy feels herself be pulled back into her body, her eyes open to find Brooke and Lucas standing by her bedside, "I love you Mom and Dad." Lizzy says quietly.
"Lizzy it's us Brooke and Lucas." Brooke says moving the hair out of her face gently.
"I know." Lizzy smiles up at her, "You wouldn't mind if I called you Mom would you?"
"Of course not!" Brooke looks shocked, glancing over at Lucas.
"You think I could still change my name?" Lizzy looks at Lucas.
"I thought you wanted to keep your mother's name?" Lucas raises an eye brow.
"I do, I want to keep Elizabeth, but if we're gonna do this whole family thing right, I want to take your last name." Lizzy smiles.
"We would be honored." Lucas says a bit choked up.
"Momma sends her love and thanks too." Lizzy says finally.
Brooke and Lucas look at each other, "What happened Elizabeth?" Brooke asks.
"She taught me one final lesson." Lizzy smiles at Brooke.