A Family For Christmas

This is AU. I was reading one of my favorite romance novels and had the idea to make it a Lucas and Peyton story. The idea for this story and the characters are not my own. However the way it plays out is…

Lucas Scott is the wealthiest bachelor in New York City. Peyton Sawyer is a struggling single mother trying to make ends meet. In a moment of desperation Lucas asks Peyton for a favor and later discovers the baggage she must bring along. What will happen to the two and how will their time spent together change their lives forever?

Chapter 1

The elevator ride to her floor was starting to become the longest part of her day. Her hands were full with the groceries she stopped to buy, the books she needed for her classes, and the pile of papers she had to look over for work. She just wanted to get into her apartment and settle down before her night began. She wasn't paying any attention when the doors flew open and as she exited the elevator she ran directly into the person standing there waiting to get on. She dropped everything she was carrying.

"Shit!" Was all she could say. Then she realized who she ran into. 'Oh, great, Mr. Personality himself.' She thought. A small smile graced her face.

"I'm so sorry."

"You should watch where you're going!" The man shouted back. He didn't care for the woman standing in front of him and wouldn't want to encounter her on a normal day but he really didn't want to encounter her today when he just found out that his dad had another heart attack and his grandmother was dying.

"I said I was sorry. My hands were full and I was looking at some paperwork. I didn't mean to run into you." 'God, he's crabbier than usually' Peyton Sawyer thought to herself.

"Well, you did."

"Well I'm so sorry Mr. Scott! The whole world doesn't revolve around you!"

"You're right it doesn't but that doesn't give you the right to just run into people!" Lucas shouted back 'Man, she's bitchier than usually" Lucas thought to himself

Lucas Scott's family owned the building they were standing in and he wished he could evict one Peyton Sawyer. Peyton was the most prudish woman he had ever met in his life. His family owned the biggest car dealerships in the country along with some buildings in New York City which he ran. He didn't need to take crap from a little no body. He liked to party and Ms. Sawyer liked to call the cops on him. He hated when she did that because every time the cops came to the building it was reported to his family and they would call him and yell at him.

"Well I am sorry. If you'll excuse me I need to pick my things up and get them into my apartment." Peyton is a single mother just trying to make ends meet. She lived in the building only by the grace of God because she had two roommates to help deflect the cost. She really didn't want Mr. Money bags to see the kind of food she could afford or the other things she just dropped all over the floor.

Lucas really wanted to get on the elevator and leave her standing there to pick up her belongs by herself but his grandmother would kill him because she taught him better than that. So he leaned down and started to retrieve items that were all over the floor. He nodded his head towards her apartment and she opens the door for him. He puts the canned food on the counter and walks out to get the rest the items remaining.

When he enters the room again he scans the room. He notices that the apartment is much different than his own. His was flashy with black leather and red everywhere. Hers was decorated simply. The furniture in the living room didn't match per say but it looks nice together. There was a brown and green striped couch and an oversized large brown chair. The kitchen had a cute little apple theme going on. He didn't' hate it but he didn't like it. Lucas knew that Peyton couldn't afford to live in this apartment alone and neither could her two roommates. He thought the place would look trashy but it didn't.

Peyton noticed Lucas looking around and it made her uncomfortable. She just wanted him out of her house… Well her house for the time being.

"You can bring those in here if you'd like or just leave them on the couch and I'll take care of them" Peyton said from the kitchen. She just wanted him to leave.

Lucas slowly approaches the kitchen and puts a gallon of apple juice and some crackers on the counter. He thought that was a weird beverage choice for an adult but who was he to judge. He notices all the groceries all over the place and he decided he'd be nice.

"How about I help you put these away?" He offered as politely as he could.

"Really I think I can take care of my groceries myself." She snaps as she turns to put some stuff in the cupboard. "You can leave any time now!" She said that a little more rudely then she intended to.

"I would be happy to leave!" Lucas shouts back and he turns to leave. He makes it half way to the door and turns around and marches back into the kitchen. "You know you've been a total bitch to me since you moved in her. You pound on my door whenever I have the basketball game turned up loud and call cops every time I have a party. It was extremely nice of me to help you tonight and I don't even get a thank you or a sign of appreciation from you!"

Peyton spins around "I do appreciate your help. I really do." She states as she turns to put the juice in the refrigerator.

"No you don't! Lucas snaps back at her. Peyton's face starts to turn red which is an indicator that she's starting to get mad. "You're a pre Madonna who is spoiled and a brat and you have to get your own way or you bitch until you do!"

Peyton was no longer angry she was pissed. She turns around to look at Lucas "you're going to call me a spoiled brat? Are you serious? You're the laziest richest man in New York. You were born with a silver spoon in your mouth and you haven't worked hard a day in your life. All you do is sponge off your family! You have no right to say anything to me!"

"Well if you're not spoiled and you don't have to have things your own way then why are you kicking me out?"

Peyton was tired and didn't want to argue with a man she didn't like anymore and she was stressed out. "Because I'm tired and I have a lot on my mind. I have problems big problems and I'm not sure how I'm going to solve them. My roommate Haley just got married and didn't bother to tell anyone and my other roommate Brooke is leaving for LA to study fashion. I am being left with six months of a lease I can't afford. I'm going to have to quit business school so I can work more so I can pay for this place! Then in six months I'll trying to get a spot back into the program and trying to find a place to live that doesn't have rats and cockroaches crawling across the floor! So I'm sorry if I'm a little crabby because you don't have a clue how it feels to not know if you're going to be able to support yourself and you don't know about problems because you've had everything handed to you!"

"Oh you think you know everything don't you? You think I don't have problems. Well listen to this. My father just had another heart attack, I have insubordinate employees who challenge my decisions every day and I just found out my grandmother is dying. My grandmother is the most important person in my life and she has cancer. She is only expected to live until Christmas. Now here's the real kicker. I have to go down to North Carolina and tell my dying Grandmother that I don't have a fiancée!" Lucas finished his tirade by crashing down on Peyton's couch. She walks over and sits in the oversized chair looking at him.

He's story was sad and she did kind of feel bad for him but she was still pissed and she really just wanted him to get the hell out of her house. She thought pissing him off might work. So she did the only thing she knew how to do and that was to give him a smartass reply "Oh, that's so sad"

Lucas's face fills with fury "It is sad. You see I made up this story that I had gotten engaged because my grandmother's wish was to see me get married and I was trying to appease her. Well that backfired today when she called to tell me about my dad she told me that her dying wish was to meet my fiancée and I should bring her for Christmas!"

Peyton's heart melted and she could no longer hold up the hateful act towards Lucas. He may be an ass about a lot of things but he loved is grandmother and was trying to make her happy and got caught in a lie. She looks at him sweetly "I'm sorry, Mr. Scott. Really sorry."

Lucas smiles at the fact that she called him Mr. Scott. "Mr. Scott is my father, Ms. Sawyer. Please call me Lucas"

"Well then it's Peyton"

"And I'm sorry too." Lucas was sorry about a lot of things. He was sorry that he lied to his grandmother and he was sorry that he was always so rude to Peyton and he was sorry that he had told her so much about his problems. He wasn't like that and he shouldn't have done that now. "I shouldn't have laid all my problems on you like that. I had just received the phone call as I was waiting for the elevator and it hit me like a ton of bricks. I'm sorry that I yelled at you… I shouldn't have done that either" Lucas says smiles softly at Peyton

"That's ok. I shouldn't have poured all my troubles on you either. I know how it is though being overwhelmed with the cards you're dealt"

"Yeah, sometimes life isn't fair"

"That's for sure"

Lucas settles into his spot a little more "Thank you for listening"

Peyton nods "You're welcome and thank you for all your help."

"No problem."

There was a moment of silence and then Peyton stands up "I was going to make some tea when I got home and I didn't have a chance to start it yet. Would you like to stay and have some with me?"

Lucas smiles at the woman standing in the living room smiling at him "I'd love some, thank you"

Peyton walks into the kitchen and is messing around with things for a little while before she returns to the living room with a tray in her hands. On the tray is two mugs, a teapot and some homemade cookies. Lucas smiles at her as she hands him a mug "Cookie?"

Lucas takes one "Thanks"

"You know I was thinking if there is anything I can do to help you?" Peyton said tentatively

"I don't think there is any way out of this unless you want to go to North Carolina and be my fiancée for then next 4 weeks through the holiday season"

Peyton chocked on her cookie and started to laugh. That was a crazy idea and she knew he was just kidding but it was still crazy. They were so different and they couldn't get along living across the hall from each other how would they ever convince anyone they were happy and in love. "Um, that's a pretty crazy idea and I think I'll have to pass"

"Yeah that would be crazy wouldn't it?" Lucas thought about it for a moment and then a huge smile crossed his face. He looks up at Peyton and smiles at her. She smiles back. They just had a moment and neither of them wanted to kill the other.

"So you said you're roommates are leaving you huh?" Lucas asks as he sips on his tea and takes a bite of his cookie

"Yeah so be looking for my request to get out of my lease early. I can't afford to stay here and go to school and I have to go to school." Peyton's face drops as she says that.

"It's too bad you can't make it work. This is a safe building. One of the safest in the city and it's going to be hard to find any place this safe anywhere else."

A frown fills Peyton's face "I know. And to tell you the truth I don't know where I'm going to go…"

Then it dawned on Lucas and he had the most brilliant idea. He scans Peyton's from head to toe and toe to head. She was attractive and he could make it work. "You know, Peyton, we could be the answers to each other's problems."

"Ok, whatever you say, Lucas. Unless I can live here for rent free until I graduate from college there is no way you can help me or anyone can help me for that matter." Peyton said almost laughing

"What if I told you you could live here rent free? And that I would even be willing to help you with living expense while you finish your degree… The only thing is you'd have to go to North Carolina with me for the holidays…" Lucas said with a smile on his face

"Thanks but no thanks. I think the stress of your situation is getting to you and I'm not sure you know what you're proposing"

Lucas frowns. He knew this woman was stubborn but he never imagined she was this stubborn. "You're crazy! I just offered you a free ride and you're turning me down? Don't be so hasty. I'm serious about this, Peyton. Figure it out. How much money it would cost to finish school and I'll give it to you. You can also stay here rent free until school is done and you find a job. I don't care how long or how much it is I really need this favor from you and I'd do anything to get it!"

"I can tell you really need this but I can't do it, I'm sorry" Peyton wanted to say yes so badly but she just couldn't. She wasn't thinking just about herself now and she needed to think about Avery as well. First she didn't know anyone who could watch Avery for that long and second she didn't want to miss her daughter's first Christmas. Third, it wasn't like she could take Avery with her because she didn't know if Lucas knew about Avery and last there had to be a catch and she didn't want to find out what it was.

"Peyton, you can't say no! I need you to do this and you need to do this. There isn't anything else you can do!" Lucas said almost beggingly.

"I have options, Lucas. I will just push back my graduation and work more. I'll also move" She stands up to clean up their tea and cookies and notices the look on Lucas' face. "I know what you're thinking" She says as she walks into the kitchen and he follows her. "You think I'm crazy. You can't believe that I would turn down an offer like this but I think you're crazy for offering it to me!"

Shock fills Lucas' face "Why? It's the perfect plan"

Laughing, Peyton sighs "Listen Lucas, people who don't have money are always apprehensive of people who do have money and offer it so freely!"

"I don't understand"

Peyton walks to the sink and starts washing the dishes "There's always a catch. I'm sure of it and I can't be caught in the middle of a plan that has strings and a catch"

Lucas walks over and grabs a towel to start drying "There's no catch. I promise. Please, Peyton. I really need your help"

"Listen I can't do it ok. I'm sorry I just can't"

"There's no catch Peyton. I have money, you need money you spend a week before Christmas through the First of the Year with me and when we get back your troubles are over. Come on. It's a few weeks for security and financing for the rest of your schooling"

Peyton looks at her watch and notices that Brooke will be home soon with Avery. She wants to get Lucas out of her apartment before he sees her and bands children from the building. "I appreciate the offer I really do but I just can't do it and I don't mean to rush you out but I have a ton of work I need to get done tonight"

"You can't turn this offer down. This is a solution to both of our problems and you just can't say no! You're just being too… too"

"Too what Lucas? Too Stupid?" Peyton fires at him "I'm not stupid I just can't do it! Now really I have to get to work"

"You're not stupid Peyton! You're stubborn and I need you to do this and it can help you as well!"

Peyton milled it over a little more. She could quit her jobs and study full time and put Avery in daycare and not worry about her while she's at school. She should take it but she just can't…. What would she do with Avery?

Lucas saw the wheels turning in her mind and smiles. He walks towards the door and Peyton follows. "Listen I just threw this idea at you so I'm sure you're a little taken back by it. I'll tell you what. I'm leaving Friday at 3 pm. I'm leaving from JFK private runway strip. If you're not there I'll understand but if you decided to come pack for 6 weeks."

With that Lucas walks out of the apartment and Peyton crashes on the couch. Lucas Scott just made the best offer in the world to her and she didn't know how she could turn it down. It was one she couldn't walk away from and she knew Lucas knew.

But then again he obviously didn't know about Avery either…