Prologue
When my husband died, my world fell to pieces. Everything I dreamed of for my son and I, was lost in the blink of an eye. From the moment I found out, to the moment of his funeral, I refused to believe that such a tragedy could happen, just days after our wedding, just days after my son was born.
What monster would take the life of a young father? What monster would kill a man who was so sincere, so caring, so generous and self sacrificing?
I wish I could answer that. I wish I knew, because then, maybe then I'd have some clarity, some closure.
When Lucas Scott's wife died, his world fell to pieces. Everything he dreamed of for his daughter and himself was lost in the blink of an eye. From the moment he found out, to the moment of her funeral, Lucas refused to believe that such a tragedy could happen, just days after their wedding, just days after their daughter was born.
Why did fate take such a young mother? Why did fate take a woman who was so sincere, so caring, so generous and self sacrificing?
Lucas wished he could answer that. He wished he knew, because then, maybe then he'd have some clarity, some closure. No, not even that would bring him closure.
"Kanzi, why Tree Hill? You spent half your teenage life there, and hated the small town. You wanted city life, you wanted your son to go to private school. There are no private schools in Tree Hill!" My best friend, and roommate, Melody argued as I continued to pack my suitcase.
"Because Tree Hill is safe. Tree Hill is home. I was born there, and I honestly don't want to live in the city any longer. Mel, it's been hard enough these last six months, I've tried, I really have, but I honestly don't see how staying in the city will help anything," I said sternly, though gently. Melody and I have lived together since I moved to California back my Sophomore year of high school. She helped me graduate, find a a job, and so much more. I knew deep down, she was just upset that I was leaving her behind. But she was a city girl. Tree Hill would be too dull for her.
"But what about if I come with you? I know I hate anywhere but the city, but LA won't be the same without you! Anyway, Tree Hill isn't too bad. Remember when you went to visit your mom around the time everyone graduated? Tric is pretty awesome, and the Tree Hill kids seemed decent. Not top notch, but definitely not scum either," Melody suggested eagerly.
"You'd throw away six years of hard work, to move to Tree Hill with me?" I asked honestly, my heart skipping a beat. I never would expect that sort of thing from Melody.
Melody was a high end fashion designer, as well as a well known singer and songwriter. She was born and raised in LA, and after her parents died in a car crash when she was only 15, she started to grow up quickly, and was forced to carry her own weight. When I moved to LA shortly after my sixteenth birthday, after my mother decided she wanted to travel, I was stunned to find friendship in the uptight, rich girl. But Melody had become one of my best friends, and never failed to cheer me up, at least, up until that past May, when Damian, the father of my son and my husband, died in a horrible shooting.
Damian had been a cop for seven years, and loved his job. He always promised to be safe, but the night he died was different. A fifteen year old boy was contemplating suicide, and when Damian stepped in, hoping to talk the boy out of it, the boy turned and shot Damian out of cold blood. The boy then ran, and hasn't been seen since.
"Kanzi, for you, I'd go half way around the world. I can tell you really miss Tree Hill, even after all this time, but if you want to go back, to raise your son, then I want to come with you. I want to support you, the way you have supported me for so long," Melody said honestly, her light blue eyes shining brightly. "Anyway, Tree Hill's the perfect place to try and open a new store. I heard Brooke Davis started her career there, god, I idolized her in the beginning, she has so much courage and will power, it's amazing."
"That's true. And Nathan Scott was the best Basketball player the town had seen. Lucas Scott wrote a book, Haley James Scott made a record, Peyton Sawyer opened a record label. The kids I should have grown up with, all became something amazing...I only wish the same was true for me," I said with a sigh, as I picked my six month old son up, rocking him gently in my arms. "I want Tyler to have the opportunities I never had, growing up. He deserves that."
"Then we'll both go, when does your flight leave?" Melody asked brightly.
"Midnight, I can get you a ticket if you want?" I asked.
"Yes! Now, shoo, go finish packing. I have a lot to do before we can leave!" Melody said with a smile. I couldn't believe that she was willing to do this for me. Yet it wasn't too much of a surprise. Melody, was, afterall, the god mother of my son, and had been the maid of honor at my wedding. She was always the generous type, despite her attitude and glamor. On the outside, to people who didn't know her, she was a cold bitch, but to those few that did, she was sweet, caring, and most of all, supportive.
"Oh, Kanz, quick question, are you planning to have the rest of your stuff sent over?" Melody asked, peeking her head around the door.
"Yes. I'm not coming back to LA after tonight," I said truthfully. "I already bought a house in Tree Hill, and I intend to stay there," I added.
"Alright, awesome. I don't have to pack everything then, I'll have John send the rest down next week. Unless...unless you don't want me to move in with you?" She asked, a frown crossing her face.
"Melody Abigail Rodriguez! Do you honestly think after all this time, I wouldn't want you living with me?" I practically screamed as I stood and gave my best friend a tight hug. "You're moving in with me, no questions asked!"
"Alright! It's settled then!" She said brightly, returning my hug before bouncing off to pack her things.
"My goodness, Tyler, your god mommy is a nut sometimes," I told my son, who looked at me with his beaming blue eyes, giggling happily. He had no idea what was going on, but he wasn't concerned. He knew he'd be okay as long as I was there.
The packing was easier than expected, mostly due to the fact that most of my things were already packed. I had been planning to return to Tree Hill for months now, but decided that I'd give LA six more months before I finally made up my mind. I made my decision the night of the last shooting, right across from where I worked. I refused to live anywhere where I had to constantly watch my son, and myself, in order to know we'd be safe just walking down the street. When I moved to LA, I never planned to stay, only to stay until I graduated. That all changed when I met Damian. Damian was my first true love, and no matter how many relationships I'll end up in, in the future, I will always fall back on my late husband. He was not only my husband and the father to my son, he was my best friend.
"Kanzi, come on, we're going to miss our flight," Melody chimed from downstairs some time later. I glanced at my watch, and saw that she was right. I quickly slung my coat and Tyler's diaper bag over my arm, before cradling my son in my free arm. Melody had helped me move our luggage downstairs earlier, and was now waiting out front with the limo.
"I'm sure going to miss the limo," she sighed as she took Tyler from me so I could slide in.
"I'm not. I can't wait to find out if Keith still has my mom's old Volvo in the shop. I would love to buy it back," I disagreed.
"I didn't know you could drive!" Melody gasped. I had taken a cab to her apartment the first day I moved, and never once thought to buy a car when she had a limo always ready to take us wherever we needed to go.
"I've been driving since I was 15, between my mom and Keith, I was taught by the best," I said brightly.
"So who's this Keith anyway?" Melody asked as we settled in for the ride to the airport.
"Keith Scott. He's Nathan and Lucas' uncle. My mom met him shortly after I was born, because the car, her old station wagon at the time, broke down in the middle of nowhere, and he came and towed us all the way back to Tree Hill. My mom and him were friends up until we left. I haven't heard from him in years though, I don't even know if he's still in Tree Hill," I admitted.
"Wait. Keith Scott?" Melody asked. Something in her eyes scared me.
"Yea?" I replied, my heart dropping.
"Kanzi, Keith Scott was shot junior year, it was all over the news. Apparently Dan Scott later confessed to the murder. Kanzi, Keith's dead," Melody said, her voice barely a whisper.
"What? No, you have to be wrong," I gasped.
"Kanzi, no, I'm not wrong. I remember hearing about it at school, thinking it was ironic how just a year after you leave Tree Hill, someone brings a gun to your old school. Kanz, I'm so sorry," she said, her voice cracking.
"I'm so glad I'm going home," I whispered as I stroked my son's head.
"Were you close to either of his nephews?" Melody asked suddenly.
"I knew Lucas to a point. We used to hang out at the River Court after school once in a while, before my mom needed me to baby sit Nikki every night. That was when we sort of lost touch, he had his life, I had mine," I said truthfully. I found myself remembering the blonde, blue eyed, scrawny boy that used to be one of the few people I told me deepest secrets to. I sighed softly, and shook my head. I left. I made the choice to leave. That wasn't his fault.
"We're here," Melody said, breaking me away from my thoughts. The driver opened the door for us, and we soon were standing in line, waiting to board the plane.
"You drove up here when you came, didn't you?" Melody asked when she saw me tapping my foot impatiently.
"Sort of. My mom dropped me off on her way to Beverly Hills. I've never flown before," I replied.
"Never?" Melody asked.
"Nope, never. But it's no big thing, I brought a book," I said with a laugh, showing her Lucas' An Unkindness of Ravens. "I figured it's about time I read it," I added. I refused to read it before, because I knew Lucas had basically told his story, the real one, and I wanted to find out from him, personally, not through a book. But now knowing that Keith was dead, I found myself realizing that a lot had changed since I left Tree Hill.
"What's on your mind?" Melody asked as we took our seats. I kept one hand wrapped around Tyler's while my other was patting my knee nervously.
"I just can't believe how much has changed. I mean, I know it's been seven years, but wow," I said with a sigh.
"Thing's change, Kanzi, there's not much we can do about that," she said softly, taking my hand. "But you know, you're finally going home. That has to say something right there," she added as she gave my hand a light squeeze, before settling in to read her book, while I did the same.
The plane ride seemed to be a lot shorter than I expected. By the time we reached the airport, I had just finished the novel. I felt tears in my eyes as I pulled Tyler into my arms, and walked down the plane's stairs.
"Wow, it has changed," I murmured as we hailed a taxi.
"Why don't you just call someone for a ride? I mean, everyone still lives in Tree Hill probably," Melody complained. She was tired, and clearly, ready to get some sleep.
"Because it's only 5 in the morning, Mel, no one's up at 5 in t-," I started.
"Kanzi Rose, is that really you?" a voice called from somewhere in the crowd. I turned, trying to find the voice, and was shocked to see Nathan Scott standing there, his hair a mess.
"Um, yea. Nathan, right?" I asked as I walked towards him, Tyler still in my arms.
"Sure is, damn, it's been what, 4 years?" he asked.
"7, about 10 since we last actually hung out," I said with a laugh.
"Oh man! Too long. What are you doing back in Tree Hill?" he asked.
"I'm coming home, finally," I said with a smile.
"Well I'm waiting for Haley's sister to get off her plane, but it was delayed by a few hours, do you need a ride, you look exhausted?" he asked.
Before I had a chance to object, Melody answered for me. "We'd love a ride, Nathan, thank you," she said sheepishly.
"He's married Mel," I said with a laugh.
"How'd you-" Nathan started, but stopped when he saw me nod at the wedding band on his finger. "Oh yea," he laughed.
"Anyway, this is Melody, Mel, this is the Nathan Scott," I introduced the two.
"The?" Nathan asked, raising an eyebrow.
"I may have been out of town for this long, but I pay attention to basketball, Nathan," I said with a laugh as he loaded our things into the trunk of his car.
"So where to?" he asked, as we all climbed in.
When I gave him the address, he drove us there with no questions asked. He seemed to know how to get there easily, and that made for a lot of awkward silence.
"So, Kanzi, what made you decide to come home?" Nathan asked.
Melody looked at me, and saw the tears well in me eyes.
"She's had a rough year, and wanted to raise Tyler somewhere where he'd be safe and still have fun. LA's too crazy for a family," Melody replied for me. Her eyes never left my face.
"Oh," was all Nathan said.
Once we reached the large, white house, I was relieved. Tyler was sleeping in my arms, and cooed softly when I moved so I could get out of the back seat. Nathan silently helped Melody unpack the car, and bid us farewell as he drove off. I unlocked the door gratefully and walked up the stairs, without saying a word to Melody. I had had some of the guys from work fly down a week prior to set the house up, especially my son's nursery. I laid him down in his crib and smiled as he fell instantly to sleep.
"Welcome home, little man," I said softly as I dimmed the lights.
"So, which room is mine?" Melody asked with a huge yawn.
"Whichever you want, aside from the master, that one's mine," I said tiredly.
"Alright, I'll take the one next to Ty's nursery. This way if he wakes up in the middle of the night, we can take turns getting up," Melody murmured, too tired to say much more than that.
"Kay," I said with a yawn, as I pulled one of my suitcases into my room. I let it sit against the wall, as I went into the master bathroom and started a hot shower. I was pretty sure Tyler would be asleep for a while, but I brought the baby monitor into the bathroom with me.
I let the warm water soothe the aches in my back and legs. The warm water nearly put me to sleep, before I finally got out and wrapped the huge, pale pink robe around my tired body. Before I laid down, I rummaged through the suitcase, digging out my old, ratty pair of pajama pants. I slipped them on, and was more than grateful that Tyler was just as tired as the rest of us. I crawled into the huge queen size bed, and fell asleep instantly.
Later, I'll have to walk around town and see how much really changed. I thought tiredly, before finally falling soundly asleep.
The path less traveled is a path of your own making.
AN:: Blame It On Fate is an AU fan fiction, that takes place in 6 months after Sawyer Scott was born. Kanzi, a 23 year old, who was born and raised in Tree Hill, finally moves back home, after spending 7 years in LA, after her husband died, shortly after the birth of her son, Tyler. Back in Tree Hill, Lucas is struggling to live with the fact that Peyton died only days after their daughter was born.
Will the two find comfort in one another, or maybe even something more?