A/N A collaboration between BendablePoseable & Emera-Rene. Lucas Roe is walking backwards through life when under unforeseen circumstances fatherhood is thrust upon him. What he initially sees as an inconvenience could very well be the key to his happiness. May change to M rating in later chapters.
He stands on the other side of the gate peering up at the extravagant building on the other side.
It's big.
It's expensive.
It's his.
The neighbours are eying him as they jog by with their perfectly manicured hands and groomed hair, they're staring as they leave their houses in convertible cars to pick their children up from prestigious private schools.
They eye him suspiciously.
They think he's up to no good. He isn't one of them.
He's wearing an old pair of sweat pants and an old jersey top and he has a khaki coloured ruck sack slung over his shoulder that contains the extent of his personal possessions.
They're right. He doesn't belong here.
Five days ago he was on the opposite coast sleeping on an acquaintances couch while he tried to get some quick cash together.
He'd thought the persistent woman knocking at the door at 7am had been the cops. She'd not been there to bust him though.
He fumbles in his pocket, the snooty eyes watching him finally causing him to stop standing like a garden statue.
The piece of paper that he produces is crumpled but he can still make out the digits scrawled down.
He keys the numbers 5-6-9-9-4 into the security pad and then the gates are opening and he's no longer on the other side.
He's no longer the struggling twenty three year old.
He has all of this. It's all his.
He walks up the drive way in a daze.
He'd had nothing and now he has this. He passes three cars. He can see the large stretch of garden that surrounds the property. He can see the edge of a swimming pool. He can see a basket ball court and it's all too much.
He'd not earned this. He didn't deserve it.
The house feels even bigger inside.
It smells rich. Or more accurately, it doesn't smell like a squat. It doesn't smell of dope or alcohol. The air is clean. Everything is clean.
There's a grand piano in the middle of the living room.
The top is littered with sheet music, hand written and unfinished.
They'd been smart, creative and educated and judging by the photos, happy too.
There's pictures everywhere and he's staring at them.
He's seeing them for the first time. He'll only ever see them this way. He'll only ever see them as a picture. He'll never know who they were.
Five days ago he'd not known he had any family but here was proof of their existence on the very wall before him. His half brother, Nathan Scott with his wife Haley James Scott.
She was petite, pretty with long golden brown hair and eyes. He was tall, athletic and dark haired and their son was the best parts of both of them.
As he stares at the child's image his brow furrows. The five year old may resemble his parents but he's the spitting image of his uncle. Only they're from very different lives. This five year old has everything. Well, did have. It's all been cruelly snatched away.
This boy is the sole reason for him being here.
This boy is his nephew and he's here because his nephew's parents are dead.
He's here because he seems to be the only blood relative suitable for the job of guardian.
He's here to take custody of James Scott.
-x-
Peyton Sawyer let's out a heavy breath.
She doesn't know what to do with herself.
She doesn't know how to fix this whole situation.
All she wants to do is make sure he's okay. She wants James Scott's happiness to be guaranteed.
She's standing in the doorway of her guest bedroom.
His small little body is curled up on the double bed, his arms tangled in a adult sized basket ball jersey.
He's not let it out of his sight for the last sixteen days.
It's blue and says N. Scott on the back and his mother use to wear it to bed and it smells just like her.
That smell is fading with every passing day though and Peyton doesn't know what she'll be able to give him when it is gone because Haley James Scott is gone and she's not coming back.
There's a knock down the hall and she hurriedly closes the bedroom door. She doesn't want the five year old to wake just yet.
She peers through the spyhole at the visitor.
She knows who he is. She knows why he's here.
She takes a deep breath before nervously pulling back the latch.
'Erm Hi, I'm-'
'Lucas' She cuts him off, forcing a small welcoming smile. 'Yes. The social worker explained that you'd be coming'
She's hot and he openly looks her up and down, admiring her legs and her welcoming face goes to unimpressed in the space of about a second.
'Why don't you come inside' She states tersely.
He follows her into her apartment.
It's nice.
He feels uncomfortable. She has nice things. He doesn't belong here.
'He's asleep at the minute. Would you like a drink or something? A tea or coffee?'
He shifts his weight.
'Maybe something cold?' She suggests.
'Water's fine' He nods.
She doesn't just pour him a glass from the tap. No, she has one of those purifying things and he gets ice cubes too.
'Thanks' He mutters when she places the cold beverage before him.
She forces a smile and then goes about making herself a tea.
'So' He clears his throat. 'You're a friend of the family?'
'I knew his mother' She declares sadly. 'She was one of my best friends actually'
'Right' Lucas nods, shifting his feet. He didn't know how to say he was sorry for her loss, nor could he relate to what she was evidently feeling. He'd not known Haley or Nathan Scott.
She's looking at him and he doesn't like it. She's looking at him like she knows him.
'They'd put Haley's Mum and Dad down as guardian if anything like this happened, only she's ill' She took a moment to let out a heavy breath. 'She has terminal cancer' Peyton informs him sadly.
He watches her lean against the side board.
He feels a slight pang of sadness for the poor kid. He'd lost his mum and dad and he'd shortly be loosing his grandma too.
'What, what about you know, Nathan's Mum and Dad?' He avoids referring to him as his father. As far as he's concerned he's never had a father.
'Debs past drug record doesn't bode well with Social services' Peyton rolls her eyes. 'And Dan' She watches him tentatively. 'I'm sorry to be the one to tell you this Lucas, but Dan needs heart surgery, unless they can find a donor soon, things don't look hopeful'
Well James Scott certainly didn't have the most cheeriest of back stories. Everyone in his perfect little family was either dead or on their way out.
She misinterprets his silence for sadness. 'I'm sorry, I know all this can't be easy for you'
'Don't apologise' He feels nothing for the man in question. Dan Scott may share his blood but he'd never known of his father. He'd never even met the man, nor did have any interest in doing so.
She's perceptive enough to know not to linger on the subject of his biological father and gladly moves on. 'So as you can see, there's not much choice-'
'There has to be some other aunt or uncle or something, someone the kid actually knows' He stands abruptly. 'I don't even fucking know him' The words tumble from his mouth before he can stop them, his aggressive tone and coarse language making her nose crinkle.
She takes a little step back.
'He has two aunts'
'There we go' He throws his hands in the air.
'Taylor wasn't exactly on best terms with Hales and she's point blank refused to have anything to do with Jamie. Where as Quinn wanted to take him'
Lucas' eyes widen in exasperation. Someone that wants the child? Why was he being hauled into this mess when Jamie's aunt would gladly take him?
'She travels a lot though. She's a photography journalist.' Peyton elaborates. 'Social services feel it would be best for Jamie to stay here in Tree Hill'
'Well why doesn't she just move here?'
'Lucas I'm just telling you what I've been told. Jamie was put in my care until you got here. If you have any issues you need to go and talk to social services, not me'
He pinches the bridge of his nose. 'That's what I've been trying to fucking do for the last seventy two hours. Five days ago I didn't even know I had a fucking brother and now I have to play Daddy to his kid? I can't'
He doesn't understand any of this. He doesn't understand why he's been chosen as the one to take responsibility for this child. He's sure the so called social workers must have his details. He's sure they must know of his past and he's sure his past doesn't make for a good father candidate
She looks at him in disgust and he suddenly doesn't care that she's fucking hot, he just wants out of here and away from her judging eyes..
'If you care so fucking much why don't you take him?' He snaps harshly.
She grits her teeth together because she wants to. She's been trying to gain custody of James Keith Scott for the last four days but she's more or less been told there's no chance of that happening.
She's frustrated and angry and she sure as hell doesn't want this ass to take the little boy from the safety of her home. It's pretty clear that he's not cut out for this or much else by the looks of things. Only, if this man doesn't take him, he'll most likely been thrown into the system and she'll never see him again, something she's not about to let happen.
'I would if they'd let me' She growls back. 'Look, if you don't do this Jamie will be taken into care. He'll move from home to home. He's nearly six. We all know that parents looking to adopt want a baby. He's not a baby. He'll get swung from foster home to foster home. He won't have a family. Do you have any idea what that will be like?'
He turns rigid and his hands ball into fists.
She's scared and confused. She doesn't know this man and she has no idea if he's safe to let Jamie be around but she doesn't feel like she has any other option and she's close to getting to her knees and begging. He just has to be his parent on paper. She can do all the important stuff. She can take him to and from school, she can make him dinner. She can help him with his homework. She can be the one to guarantee his happiness.
'Where's his stuff?'
'You'll do it?' She doesn't disguise her surprise.
He turns his back to her. 'Does he have any shit here?' He repeats impatiently.
He's refusing to look at this as a life long decision. He's just looking at it in stages. Get the child's stuff. Get the child. Leave.
She bites her tongue. She's flabbergasted that he seems to think he can just grab Jamie and go. They've never even met.
She's about to tell him that James is going to be scared, that he's going to have to be patient but her eyes have caught sight of the little figure standing in the doorway.
With his thumb in his mouth and Haley's night shirt draped over his arm, his innocent blue eyes look at the stranger with trepidation.
'Jamie' Peyton coos, a forced, reassuring smile on her kind face. 'Come here sweetie, there's someone I want you to meet'.
