Author's Note:
This is the second part to my other fic: "It Began One Night", so if you haven't read that you should go check it out. If you don't really feel up to reading all 25 chapters of that one, the basic gist is that this is an AU story. Lucas and Peyton met in a bar in New York city. Lucas is an author and Peyton, as a result of her meeting Lucas owns a record label. Their relationship went slow, but they were shaken when, about eight months or so after they started dating, Lucas' brother Nathan and his best friend Haley were in a car accident and died. Lucas and Peyton were given custody of Jamie, then got engaged and married. They got Jamie through a lot in dealing with his parent's death, and then fought and won custody over Haley's sister who wanted to take the boy away from them.
This is set a year after they got custody. Again, the summary doesn't really do justice, so I would read my other fic first!!!
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It was a Sunday, the day of rest in the eyes of Lucas and Peyton, church going or not church going. It was a day to sleep in, stay in pajamas, and mentally take a break before the new week started, and it was going to be a big week.
Peyton's label had really started hitting it the last year, with the small release of Haley James Scott's album, which Jamie titled "Living on..." after a comment that his aunt had made a year ago while they were working on it together. Yes, he was eight years old, and had already co-produced an album on an up and coming record label, but Peyton had said that she wouldn't do it without his help. It didn't matter though, because all the money raised was going to scholarship funds, his aunt's idea after the album really took off more than they could have imagined it would.
On any other Sunday, James Lucas Scott would be sleeping, but after his week at school, he knew that he couldn't let this day go by unnoticed, and crept into his aunt and uncle's room quietly. He reached her side of the bed before putting a hand on her shoulder and whispering her name softly.
She mumbled a little bit in her sleep, which Jamie thought was pretty funny, so he said it again, "Aunt Peyton, come on... wake up!"
She opened one eye to look at her nephew, and mumbled, "What's wrong?"
"Nothing, will you get up?"
"James Lucas Scott, it is Sunday... what are you doing?"
"Come on Aunt Peyton, I have a surprise for you!" he says, pulling on her arm now.
She sits up in bed, turning to make sure that her husband was still sleeping before sleepily making her way out into the hall and downstairs, following her nephew. "Why didn't you want me to get your Uncle Luke too?"
"Because this is just for you..." he says, looking down sheepishly, before taking her hand and leading her out onto the porch, where he had a bowl of cereal waiting for the two of them and a cup of coffee for her."
"Jamie, what is this about?" she asks, surprised and touched, but curious as to the reason..
"ummm... here." he says, holding out his hand and showing her a card.
It brought instant tears to her eyes as she looked from it and back up to Jamie, who had his eyes turned down towards the floorboards in the porch.
She knelt down in front of him, putting a finger under his chin to have him meet her eyes, "Do you know how much this means to me Jamie Scott?"
"You like it?"
She nods, and suggests that they eat before their cereal got soggy. They sat and ate, enjoying the warm North Carolina air of the late spring, and when they were done, he took their bowls in before coming back out to sit with her on the new porch swing that Lucas had installed for her on their anniversary.
"You didn't have to do this, Jamie." she says, just a hint above a whisper.
"I know, but I wanted to."
"Can I ask you what brought this idea on?"
"We were doing a project in school for it, and my teacher had said that maybe I could do something for my Grandma instead, and then the new kid started to ask me about it."
"That's Nicky, right?"
"Yeah, he just moved a few months ago. But he asked me why I wouldn't make a present for my mom, and I told him about Momma and Daddy's accident, and he said that he didn't get it. And then he asked me about you, because he thought that you were my mom."
"Honest mistake, I guess."
"Yeah, but then he said that I should make my gift for you, because you do all of the things for me that his mom does for him. You love me, you take care of me, and you get mad at me when I don't do something right."
"Well, gee... thanks." she says sarcastically at the last statement he made about the characteristics of a mom.
"It was mostly the loving me part. So I figured that it would be okay to celebrate you on Mother's day because, that's what you are... You're like my second mom."
Her heart warmed when he said it, and she took him in her arms before letting a small tear escape, "You make it so easy for me though, kid."
"Really?" he asks, pulling away with a smile on his face, looking at her.
"Yup... and I have the perfect idea for what we can do today, unless you had some other things planned."
"Well, I saved up enough money to take you to the record store in Tree Hill and get you any CD you wanted, because I thought that would be the best present ever, and I was going to see if me and Uncle Lucas could take you out to dinner tonight.
"Okay, then I say that we do those things, and we can add mine to the list too, does that sound okay?"
"It's your day, so you get to choose!" he says.
"All right, then why don't you get ready and we can be off."
Just a half hour later, they were both ready to go, and Lucas, having had a game to coach the night before was still asleep. So, they left a note for him on the kitchen counter and climbed into Peyton's car for a drive.
"Where are we going?"
"Don't you think you're going to find that out soon enough?"
"Yeah, I guess so..."
"All right then. You pick out the first CD, and we will be off."
Choosing the latest Dashboard album, Jamie sat back, with the window opened, and watching as the scenery passed them by.
Nearly an hour later, they pulled up to a small cemetery, and Jamie looked over at his aunt with eyes full of questions.
Without even answering his look, she reached into the back seat to pull out a bouquet of flowers that he didn't know was there and told him to follow her.
"I want you to meet someone." she says, finally stopping before a small headstone and squatting down next to her nephew.
He looked over to read the name and then understood where they were, "It's your mom... this is where you grew up!"
"Yup. And every year, I try to come on Mother's Day to bring her flowers. I thought that this would be a great thing to share with you, if that is okay."
Walking up to the grave, something that any other eight year old would probably freak out about, he looked up, "Hi Mrs. Sawyer, my name is James Lucas Scott, and it's nice to meet you."
Peyton laughs, coming to stand next to him, bending down to put the flowers up against the granite, "Hey mom. I hope you are having a good time up there. And I hope that you have found Haley and Nathan too. You've got to watch out for them just like we're looking after Jamie."
"Does she know about me?"
"Oh, of course she does. I tell my mom everything."
"And do you think she knows Momma and Daddy?"
"I bet that they are all watching us right now, with big smiles on their faces."
He smiles at the thought and the two of them just stand there for a few minutes before Peyton asks him for a few minutes alone, telling him that he can go explore as long as she can see him.
"So, there's Jamie. He's a great kid, isn't he?" she asks, pausing as if waiting for a response, "I brought him out here because... well... I don't know. It's Mother's Day, and the boy made me breakfast and saved up money to buy me a CD. I don't know, mom, it's not anything that I ever thought that it would be. Raising this little boy means the world to me, and the fact that I get to do it with Lucas, means even more. They are the best parts of me, and I never thought that I would have that. So, I guess, thank you for being my mom and thank you for taking me in and giving me the chance at this wonderful life that I'm living now."
She smiles one last time and lets her eyes search for Jamie, who was sitting by the car waiting for her when she was done.
"Can you show me everything?"
"Define everything, little man."
"Like your house and your school and all the stuff that we have in Tree Hill. I know all about where momma and daddy and Uncle Lucas were when they were kids, so I should know about you too, right?"
"I agree."
So, they did just that, taking a tour of Wilmington, showing Jamie where she grew up, her favorite spots in town to sit and draw, and the docks where her dad came in and out when she was in high school. They ended with her favorite restaurant, a place where she and her dad came every Sunday when she was younger to have lunch.
Nothing had changed since she was little, and she was sure that it was still owned by the same old couple. It never failed that when she stopped in town she stopped at the restaurant, even if just to sit and drink a cup of coffee and watch the passersby.
When they sat down, Peyton immediately recognized the voice that greeted her, "Why, Peyton Elizabeth Sawyer, please tell me that is you!"
Peyton stood up, hugging the older woman, "Hi Tina, how are you?"
"I'm just fine! I haven't seen you in years! Last I heard from your dad when he was in town was you were living in New York, so what are you doing here?"
"Came to visit mom on Mother's Day... tradition."
The woman smiles before looking past Peyton and finally noticing the little boy that was also sitting in the booth, "And please tell me that this is your little boy! That blond hair!"
Jamie smiles up at the amusing woman, and extends his hand out to her to shake, "My name is Jamie."
"Oh my goodness! You are too cute! And how nice of you to spend the day with your mom on Mother's Day!"
Peyton moves to correct her before the situation gets uncomfortable for Jamie, when Jamie steps in, "We're going to the music store back home for her present and then we're going out to dinner tonight too, but this is our new tradition, so we had to come here first."
She laughs at the confidence the little boy has, assuming that it comes from his mother, and turns to Peyton, who was wearing a look on her face that couldn't be placed as she watched Jamie interact with a woman who had seen her grow up and then went back to focusing on his menu. "Now Larry never told me that you got married and had a family of your own!"
She was brought out of her thoughts by the woman's comment and smiled at the thought of that word family, which she couldn't deny she had, "Yeah, so it's Peyton Scott now..."
"Well, I'll be... Now you two pick out whatever it is that you want, and it is on the house. Consider it a Mother's Day present."
"Oh, I couldn't..."
"Well, you're going to, so order up."
They did, of course, and Peyton and Jamie had a great conversation about a lot of different things, from what he was looking forward to this summer all the way to what he was excited about for third grade. The lack of correction on his part was never brought up, and there were a few moments where she considered the situation for a moment. Jamie really could be their sun, with his blond hair and his blue eyes, that really looked more like Lucas than Nathan. They joked about that after she had first met the family, saying that she wasn't so sure that Jamie was his nephew, and Lucas had laughed, saying that he and Haley never lived that fact down. Everyone had razzed him about it since the boy was born.
When they got just outside Tree Hill, Jamie spoke over the music, "Aunt Peyton?"
"Yes, Jamie..."
"I know that we are celebrating for you, but..." he starts, not knowing if he should finish asking her what he wants to.
She knew what he was going to ask though, and decided to pull over to the shoulder of the road and reach behind his seat for something.
His eyes lit up and a smile crossed his face when he realized that she had pulled another bouquet of flowers out. "Can we?"
"I thought that we could do this together today, even before you woke me up this morning. I know that it is hard Jamie, and I know that sometimes the best thing that you can do is go talk to your mom. So, of course we can."
"But..."
"Jamie, no matter what, I am always going to be there for you. I am not here to replace your mom, and I loved your mom very much. So whatever you want me to be for you, I will. I will be Aunt Peyton, I will be your uncle's crazy wife, I will be mom, I will be psuedo-mom. No matter what the title is, I know how much your mom means to you. All you need to know is that she loved you and that I love you very much. You don't ever have to worry about hurting my feelings."
He leans over the center console to give her a hug before settling back into his seat, "Okay."
She nods and pulls back onto the road, making their way to the cemetery where Nathan and Haley had been buried nearly two years ago.
"You want me to come over there with you?"
"I think I want to talk to her alone..."
"All right, then I will be right here waiting for you."
It wasn't the first time that he had been to his mother's grave. They came for their birthdays each year, bringing flowers and each taking a moment to talk.
Today was different though. Ever since that week at school, Jamie felt like things had changed. Nothing had changed at home or anything like that, but in his head and in his heart, there was something different going on. That was definitely something that he wanted to talk to his parents about.
"Hi Momma, Hi Daddy. Aunt Peyton brought me to see you today, and I brought these flowers for you since it's Mother's Day."
He rested the flowers next to his mother's name, just like he saw Peyton do at Anna's grave, and then he looked up again, not really knowing where to begin.
"I miss you guys a lot... but it is okay here. Aunt Peyton and Uncle Lucas take really good care of me, and they are a lot of fun. They say that I'm a lot like you guys, so that makes me smile. We talk about you all the time, and Uncle Lucas tells me stories from when you guys were in high school and he didn't like Daddy and then you fell in love. They make me laugh a lot, but they don't let me get away with anything either. Uncle Lucas says that I'm too much like Daddy when it comes to getting in trouble. But don't worry, they punish me and make me do chores, so it isn't always fun."
He sits for a while, trying to figure out how this next part is supposed to come out, not wanting to hurt his parents just like he didn't want to hurt his Aunt.
"Aunt Peyton showed me where she grew up, and I got to meet someone who's known her since she was little. It was really cool, and she was so excited that Aunt Peyton was married and had a family. She thought that I was Aunt Peyton's son, and it was just like when I was at school and Nicky had thought that Aunt Peyton was my mom and Uncle Lucas was my dad. I told Nicky about you guys, but I didn't say anything to the lady we met today. I miss having a mom with me. I know that you guys are still there and I know that I'll always have you. That's what Uncle Lucas and Aunt Peyton tell me all the time, but sometimes I wish that I could just say that they are my mom and dad." he says, his eyes going wide after realizing that he had said it out loud. "I didn't mean that!"
As much as an eight year old can, he felt bad for his admission, and then he thought about what his Aunt had said to him earlier. They weren't going to replace his mom and dad. They never would, but maybe it would be okay to think of them like that.
He took a few more minutes, talking it out with the heavens, before telling his parents that he loved them and walking back to the car.
"You okay?"
He smiles when he looks at her and tells her that he is and thanks her for bringing him there that day.
"You're welcome. Any time you want to come visit them, you can. You know that we'll take you."
"I know... Now, can we go to the music store and get you your Mother's Day present?" he asks, with a little sparkle in his eye that again warmed her heart.
After nearly an hour at the music store, with Peyton dragging him around and showing him all the best artists, they finally found themselves back at home, with Lucas waiting for their arrival.
"Did you guys have a good day?"
"It was awesome! She showed me where she grew up, and I got to meet her mom, and I got to meet this lady Tina that has known her since she was little. And then we went to see momma, and then we went to the music store."
"Well, obviously it was fun for you.. how about you?" he asks, pulling her in for a kiss.
"It was wonderful."
"I'm going to go put away my new CDs, and then Uncle Lucas, can we take Aunt Peyton out for dinner?"
He laughs at his nephew, realizing that he had really started to take after the two of them with some of the things that he did, especially his music. "We sure can."
"Sweet!"
He watches him run down the hallway and up the stairs before turning to look at his wife, who was still staring off after the boy.
"Hey..." he says with a bit of concern in his voice.
"It's good, it really is... we had a great time today."
"What brought it on?"
"You didn't know that he had this planned?"
"Nope."
She sighed, with a smile on her face, again marveling at the heart of that little boy she loved so much. "Apparently they were creating a Mother's Day card at school, and his friend was confused as to why he wouldn't write the card to me."
"I bet that was hard on him."
"It wasn't though, he said that he realized that his friend was right, so he wanted me to have a good Mother's Day."
"And..."
"I think it was the best first Mother's Day ever."
"Then why do you have that look on your face?" he asks, and she looks back up at him with a smirk on her lips that tells him that she hates how well he knows her.
"It made me think about some things."
"Okay..."
"You remember our honeymoon?"
"You're kidding me right? How could I not remember a full forty eight hours of you and me in bed together with no clothes on?"
"Lucas!" she says, swatting at his chest as he puts his hands on her hips and pulls her closer.
"Yes, I remember our honeymoon."
"Do you remember the big conversation we had on our honeymoon?"
"Yes..." he says, knowing now what she was getting at.
"He's ready. I'm ready."
"Really?"
She nods with a sheepish grin on her face, the color rising in her cheeks at the possibilities.
"Okay..."
"Are you sure?"
"Oh, I'm definitely sure, and I'm pretty sure since our first real date I've been sure."
"You're such a liar!"
"I am not... Don't you remember me walking you back to yours and Brooke's place and asking if I could kiss you?"
"Yes, I do."
"There were fireworks, Peyton Scott... definite fireworks."
"So we're going to do this?" she asks, trying to make sure that this is really what he wants.
"What are you going to do?" Jamie says catching just the last part of the conversation they were having.
Peyton and Lucas share a look before knowing that they needed to share this latest development with their nephew.
"What would you think about me and your Aunt Peyton having a baby?"
"Really!? I'm going to be a big brother?!" he says, clearly excited about the idea.
"Well, not yet, Jamie. We aren't having a baby yet, but we just wanted to make sure that you would be okay with that." Peyton says, trying to calm him down for a moment.
"Oh... so I might get to have a little brother or sister soon?"
"Well, they would be your cousin, but yeah..."
"I guess, but to me, they'll be my brother or sister, and I would really like that." he says seriously, making Lucas and Peyton smile.
"Okay then... what do you say we take Aunt Peyton out for her Mother's Day dinner?" Lucas says, clapping his hands together.
They move to go out the door, but Jamie is staying behind for a moment, causing the two adults to turn back around.
"I know that you guys are my Uncle Lucas and Aunt Peyton, but you make a really good Mom and Dad too."
–
Okay, so this is the first of many chapters in part two of "It Began One Night". Like I said, there will be times where it skips a few years, like this one skipped a whole year after Lucas and Peyton got custody over Vivian and Michael. I hope that you enjoy this one as much as the last one, and I hope that it is something that you didn't think was too cheesy.
