This story takes place about 12 years after ''The Ghost of Christmas Goth'. You don't really have to read it to follow this story, but if you're bored then read it and if you got time, feel free to leave a review :)
Anyways, this storyline came about thanks to speculation made by goite in one of her reviews.

I also want to make it clear that although I'm trying to make this story as real as possible, the facts may not be totally accurate. I haven't nor do I know anyone who has been through this terrible ordeal so things may not be true or accurate. All the 'facts' in the story have been researched on the web.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything OTH related.

Chapter 1

Once every month she did the same test standing in front of the mirror. Alone in the bathroom, while Lucas prepared breakfast and fed their year and half year old son, she looked at herself trying to see any significant changes in her body. Nothing. Peyton raised both arms and looked again. It all appeared to look the same.

Routinely she moved onto the next step. With her left arm still in the air, her right hand first moved from top to bottom, centimeter by centimeter; then from side to side, centimeter by centimeter. Everything felt the same. Nothing new.

She moved on to her other side, repeating the same pattern. Month after month for about eleven years, Peyton had become more familiar with her body. She now knew every inch of her body well. Her left hand moved across from the center to armpit. Back at center, a little higher up, her fingers gently, but firmly, followed the same pattern – center to her right then…No that can't be right.

She started again, in the same position. This time as she moved across, her hand moved more slowly and more carefully. It still wasn't right. I couldn't be. Two, three more times, she examined her right breast and every time, she stopped at the same spot. The spot that felt different. There was something there that wasn't supposed to be.

Silent.

Still.

Numb.

Peyton Scott just stood there frozen in front mirror. The random thoughts floating in her head wouldn't let her think clearly. It took her a couple of minutes before she calmed herself. Then she quickly began to get dressed.

In a daze, Peyton hurried down the stairs. The smell of frying bacon didn't entice her appetite like it usually did every Saturday morning. The sounds of Aiden laughing while drumming his spoon against the table didn't make her smile like it usually did every morning. In fact nothing was able to process through her scared mind – other than that deadly word.

He had heard her rushing down the stairs. With a smile on his face, Lucas leaned back a bit from the stove so that he could greet his twenty-nine year old wife as she walked down the hallway. When the hallway came into his view, he noticed that she wasn't headed towards the kitchen. She was headed towards the front door with her coat in hand.

"Peyton," he called out.

No response.

"Peyton," he called again.

She moved to put her shoes on.

"Ow," Not paying attention to what his hands were doing, he burned himself on the hot frying pan. His hand shook in the air, trying to shake off the burning sensation. Quickly, he turned off the stove and set the frying pan on a cool burner. He smiled at his son and made sure he was ok for the moment before he made his way to the front door.

Her hand had just unlocked the door when she jumped. Lucas hadn't meant to scare her when he touched her shoulder but she wasn't responding to her name.

"Hey," he said gently, trying to calm her nerves.

As fast as she could, Peyton collected her thoughts. A fake smile fell across her lips.

"Where you going? Breakfast is ready,"

"Oh, I can't…I forgot I have a meeting this morning and if I don't go now I'm going to be late,"

"But it's Saturday…"

"I know…um that's why I forgot,"

"Ok…" he was skeptical but didn't question her, after all he trusted her. He could tell, though, that something was bothering her but he wasn't quite sure what it was, "Are you ok?"

"Yeah, I just don't want to be late," after a peck on the lips, Peyton was out the door.

Full of concern, Lucas watched his wife get into her car. The sound of Aiden beginning to cry in the background made him look over his shoulder towards the kitchen. For a moment he was torn. Both of the people he loved the most needed him but he had to choose. Lucas returned his gaze on to Peyton. He set his mind at ease by telling himself that he would talk to Peyton when she came home later. He sighed and closed the front door.

After putting Aiden down for the night, Lucas tiredly went back downstairs. On his way to the kitchen, he stopped in the dining room. He picked up the lone, untouched plate of food he had made for Peyton. In the kitchen, he dumped its contents into a clear Tupperware and then started to clean up the rest of the kitchen.

It wasn't until 10pm when Lucas finally heard the unlocked front door open. He didn't move from his spot on the couch. He didn't even bother to look up from his book.

She knew her husband well and she knew that he would be upset with her for not explaining her whereabouts. She had been gone for 14 hours of the day without a single phone call home. But at that moment she selfishly didn't care.

Tired from driving around for a good part of the day, she made her way upstairs, not daring to look into the living room where his reading light was turned on, as she walked by. At the top of the stairs, Peyton saw the door to the nursery was lightly ajar, letting out a dim yellowish light that emanated from inside the room.

Standing over her son, she smiled as she watched him sleep safe and sound. A single tear from her eye slipped down her cheek as she caressed his angelic face. Lucas was a wonderful father – something she never questioned. She knew Aiden would always be in good hands.

Feeling another presence in the room, she quickly wiped her eyes. When she composed herself, she turned around and came face to face with her husband. Slowly she walked towards him. Without a word, her arms wrapped themselves around him as she leaned on him for a moment. Peyton didn't feel his arms around her – not that she expected them too. Instead she heard him sigh and before he could move, she placed a kiss on his cheek and then walked out the door.

Alone again in his son's room, Lucas tucked him back in and adjusted the baby monitor. He pulled the door closed behind him as he entered the darkened hallway. Slowly he made his way to the adjacent bedroom where he flicked on the lights. He had expected to see his wife on her side of their double bed but she wasn't in the room.

On the couch, Peyton sat alone, waiting for her husband to check on her. Hugging her knees into her chest, she finally saw him enter the room and sat down. The distance he left between them indicated that he wasn't too pleased with her. The long silence between them confirmed it.

"I know you're upset," she finally said.

"I'm not upset," he denied in a tone that he rarely used with her.

The last thing she needed was an angry husband to deal with. With all of the thoughts of what she had discovered earlier that morning and all of the negative thoughts in her mind, she just couldn't handle anything else.

"Don't be mad, please," her voice quivered.

"Peyt," he finally looked at her. She looked tired and scared, causing his anger to suddenly disappear. "Hey," he moved closer. "I'm not mad," he said more gently, "I'm just worried…I mean you were acting weird this morning, then you were gone for the whole day with no explanation…you didn't even bother to call,"

"I know, I'm sorry,"

He leaned over and placed a kiss on her hand then with his hand he held hers. "If there was something wrong, you'd tell me right?"

Peyton didn't answer. Instead she down, like she always did when she wanted to avoid something.

"Peyt?"

Finally she nodded her head, "Yeah, I will,"

"So, how was your meeting?"

Tears welled in her eyes.

FLASHBACK

She was talking to a nurse at the information desk of Tree Hill General when she heard her name being called.

"Peyton?"

The curly blonde turned around and looked like a child caught with her hand in the cookie jar.

"I thought that was you," Lauren said before noticing the scared look on her friend's face. "Is everything alright?"

"Umm, yeah," Peyton stammered.

Lauren smiled at Peyton warmly. Not only was Lauren a nurse at the hospital, but she was also Jake's wife. Along with Jenny, they were also raising a one year old Jacob Jagielski Jr.

"Ok," Lauren respected Peyton's privacy and didn't want to pry any further, "Well, if you need anything just let me know or Nurse Gellar," Lauren motioned towards the lady behind the desk, "will be more than happy to help,"

Peyton nodded, "Thanks,"

After a short pause, Lauren was about to turn around when Peyton spoke up.

"Um, actually, Lauren? Could I…can I talk to you for a minute?"

"Sure,"

After waiting for a couple of hours, Lauren escorted Peyton into a room in the oncology ward of the hospital. Normally it would have taken weeks to get an appointment at that hospital, but lucky for Peyton, Lauren worked in the oncology ward. Lauren was able to squeeze Peyton in during her lunch break. In a private bathroom, Peyton washed off her deodorant and removed her t-shirt. Once she put on her gown, she stepped out of the room and followed Lauren to a larger room. In the middle of the room was a large contraption that Peyton was familiar with. It was a special X-ray machine used to create a mammogram.

Betty, the technician, welcomed Peyton back. She not only knew Peyton from previous visits but she also knew Peyton from when Ellie was a patient years ago. Betty positioned Peyton in front of the machine. Having gone through the simple but uncomfortable procedure before, Peyton waited for the two plastic plates to compress her right breast. She didn't feel the X-rays penetrating, but she knew they were entering her body once the picture was taken. Then finally, the plates released her, leaving her area a bit sore. The soreness then seemed to be passed on to her left breast as it was then compressed by the two plates.

After the procedure was completed, Peyton was escorted into another room where Lauren was waiting. The two women sat in the room while they waited for a radiologist to look over the pictures.

"How you holding up?" Lauren asked.

Peyton shrugged, "I don't know. I mean I've done this like a dozen times before but today…it's just different,"

Lauren nodded understanding. In the previous time, Peyton was pretty sure that the tests would be negative. Today, on the other hand, Peyton knew that there was something there.

"Do you have any questions?"

"Is it possible to know now?"

Lauren sighed, "I'm sorry. You still have to wait until your family doctor sees the results,"

"But if the radiologist knows now, why can't they just tell me?" Peyton started to get frustrated, "I mean if it is…if it is…" she couldn't say the word, "Well, shouldn't I start treatment right away?"

Lauren placed her hand over Peyton's. Lauren had waited with patients several times before and always knew what to say. She comforted them the way she was trained in nursing school. But this was different. This time it was a friend. All the training and experiences in the world couldn't prepare her for this. Comforting a stranger was much easier that comforting someone dear to you. Nonetheless, Lauren tried her best.

"Slow down…don't jump to conclusions. It could be nothing serious. If I could find out the results for you, I would. But the hospital has strict policies about it. They only release the results to your doctor,"

As frustrated as she was, she didn't want to take it out on Lauren, "Thanks, Lauren. I really do appreciate all you have done for me. Having you here right now helps a lot,"

Lauren smiled, "I'm glad that I could be here for you. You shouldn't go through this alone. Do you want me to call Lucas to pick you up?"

Peyton immediately shook her head, "He doesn't know,"

END FLASHBACK

"So how was your meeting?" Lucas asked.

Peyton looked away as tears welled in her eyes. "It didn't go as well I hoped," she said, somewhat truthfully.

"I'm sorry,"

"Yeah, me too,"

"Hey, it's going to be ok, Peyt. It was only a meeting, right?"

"Yeah,"

A tired yawn escaped from his lips, "Well, I think I'm going to head to bed,"

"Lucas?" she called to him softly.

"Yeah?"

"Could you just maybe stay here with me for a bit and hold me?"

Without hesitation Lucas nodded and laid down with his head resting on the opposite end to where she was sitting. "Yeah, come here,"

She crawled over the cushions and laid down beside him. His arms wrapped around her slim body.

"I love you, Luke,"

He placed a kiss atop her head, "I love you, too,"

A/N: Most of the information used in this story will come from breastcancer . org. For more information please visit their site..