Follow The Light

He was there when she thought the world had turned its back on her. Julian Baker was not just a rebound. Peyton Sawyer fell in love with him. Their story may not have been considered epic or storybook worthy but he was there when she desperately needed someone. He said all the right things and made her feel whole again.

--

Peyton Sawyer's apartment was no longer just inhabited by her anymore. Julian Baker had now come to call it his home in the last week, though one look around Peyton's apartment would not be able to tell you such. His clothes were still piled in three of his suitcases and a few more boxes were strewn about the apartment with his belongings in them.

The front door open and shut abruptly signaling the return of Julian from work. "Peyton?" he called to her surprised not find her waiting for him in the front room.

"In here." she called from kitchen as she stirred the mashed potatoes that she had been cooking from the box, the only kind she knew how to make.

With a shake of his head and a light chuckle he made his way towards the doorway leaning against the frame watching the blonde as she worked. To him it was an amusing sight to see considering that since he had moved in all they had eaten was Chinese take out and McDonalds. To see Peyton in the kitchen, cooking nonetheless nearly made him burst out in laughter.

"Wow I must be hallucinating or someone replaced my incredibly gorgeous girlfriend with a step ford wife." he chuckled heartily finally entering the kitchen.

Peyton turned around with a playful glare holding up the mashed potato covered spoon threateningly. "I would watch it if I were you." she replied playfully with a raise of her eyebrow.

Julian surrendered putting his hands up in defense. "Hey Peyton." he greeted closing the distance between them wrapping his arms around her middle.

"Hey baby." she replied pressing her lips against his.

He pulled away with a smile gently yanking the spoon from her hand. "So what is all this about?" he inquired with an incline of his head towards the oven and stove.

"Well I thought that we haven't properly celebrated you moving in and I was sick of take out. So I thought I would surprise you. Surprise!" she held up her hands.

"This is well, surprising." he replied thoughtfully still eyeing the stove inquisitively

"What you only like McDonalds and Chinese?" she asked with a curious raise of her eyebrow though slightly hurt at his less than excited response.

"No. I'm sure I'll love your cooking." he pulled her into a kiss before she could protest his arms snaking around her waist.

"You had better like my cooking or else you can make yourself comfortable on the couch for the night." she said in playful threatening tone as she pulled away. "Anyway dinner's ready so your fate is up in the air."

"Oh we'll see won't we?" he taunted narrowing his eyes as he followed her to the stove loading his plate with baked chicken, mashed potatoes and corn.

They sat opposite of each other at the table. Julian wasted no time digging his fork into his chicken chewing slowly. Peyton eyed him menacingly resting her chin on her palms as she watched him. Finally he caught her eye, a smile stretching upon his features. He chewed slower this time emphasizing a large gulp as he swallowed.

"You get a ten on the performance there." she stated bluntly rolling her eyes at him.

Julian bowed his head sarcastically. "Thank you. Thank you. How about an encore?" he suggested jokingly.

Peyton rolled her eyes finally taking a bite of her own meal. "So?" she asked eager to hear his answer.

He peered up at the ceiling tapping his fork against his chin. "Hmm." he paused taking a deep breath only to build suspense. "It was delicious babe." he replied sincerely leaning over the table to capture her lips within his.

Peyton smiled broadly as he pulled away. "That just earned you a lifetime in my bed." she replied looking to Julian with loving eyes.

Their meal continued much like any other meal that would have consisted of take out. They asked of each other's days at work shared their own horror story of the day. Peyton could not help but laugh as Julian imitated one of the many people who worked beneath him. Julian listened as Peyton told of her new boss and his new bad attitude towards everything. He nodded and shook his head even leaned across the table for a second time to pull her into a kiss.

"What was that for?" she asked slightly taken aback by his sudden need to kiss her not that she was complaining at all.

Julian smiled deviously. "I was hoping that would get me out of doing dishes." he tried putting on his best puppy dog face.

Peyton, however, remained immune rolling her eyes at Julian. "Now this is getting pathetic. I will not accept kisses as bribes to get out of doing the dishes. Consider that kiss sealing you fate. You are most definitely helping me do the dishes."

Julian groaned in defiance though he gathered Peyton and his own plate and carried them to the sink. Peyton thanked him with a light peck on the cheek. He smiled and went back to clearing the table then helped her finish washing the dishes.

"You know you look really sexy when you're washing dishes. It's turning me on." he murmured seductively in her ear as placed his hands on her hips.

"This is just sad Julian. You don't want to do the dishes. Fine. Go find a way to entertain yourself until I'm done. I won't be able to finish with all of this dirty talk in my ear." she shooed him away with an exasperated sigh and roll of her eyes. Vaguely she thought she heard a 'yes' from the bedroom but she could not be sure. Though he drove her insane sometimes there was something about Julian that she was drawn to. Maybe it was the sudden feel of electricity that ran through her veins when he kissed her or maybe it was the sheer sincerity of his words. He was something else but they kept each other on their toes. They just worked together. She could not explain it and she had stopped trying long ago.

Upon hearing a rather loud thud Peyton nearly dropped the plate she was currently drying. The first thought that came to mind was what on earth Julian was up to now. She finished drying the plate placing it in the cabinet and then proceeded to her bedroom completely surprised at what she saw.

"Oh good lord Julian what are you doing?" she inquired looking to his suitcase which was situated upon their bed.

"Moving in." he replied with smug smile as he turned his neck to look at her. In one swift movement he lifted his suitcase and turned it over letting all the clothes inside spill out onto Peyton's bed.

"Wait, moving in?" she asked with a confused gaze. "You already live here."
Julian nodded as he began to sort through his clothes. "Exactly, I live here, but I haven't moved in yet. Have you not seen the boxes?" he motioned to one sitting by the door with a wave of his arm.

"Ya know I kinda like your stuff still packed and in boxes." she said smoothly as she ventured farther into the room.

Julian paused standing up right as he turned to face her. "Oh yeah and why is that?"

"If you piss me off I'll just kick you out. And with your stuff still all packed it'll be easy to throw it out into the street. Convenient if you ask me." she replied simply with a shrug of her shoulders.

He rolled his eyes, "You can't kick me out."

Her eyes widened in surprise, "And really why can't I? Last time I checked this was my apartment."

"Was your apartment, until you decided that your significant other, me, could move in. Now the apartment is ours." he retorted back with another haughty grin.

"Oh I'm still pretty sure that I'll be deciding when you get to sleep in my bed or not."

Julian looked back to her with a raised eyebrow. "And since when have you ever made important decisions like that?"

Peyton closed the distance between them in just three easy steps, smiling seductively as she wrapped her hand around his neck pulling him close to her so lips were only centimeters apart. "Right now." she murmured crashing her lips against his.

They on to her bed, atop all of the clothes that he had dumped out, but they did not care. Their lips worked furiously against one another's begging for more contact as Peyton swung one leg over his body to straddle him at the hips. He groaned teasingly causing a smile from Peyton as they kissed. Her hands worked beneath his shirt, her fingers running over every line in his chest and felling the muscles taut beneath his tanned skin. She found the crook of his neck with her lips sucking gently while he laid there completely helpless to her attack. She brought her lips back to his with more passion. Their tongues entwined while his hand began to slip beneath her shirt.

Suddenly, she went rigid beneath his lips and in the next moment she had rolled off of him with her lips positioned at his ear. "Now clean all of this up and you'll get the full showing." she whispered seductively smiling victoriously as she pranced from the room.