Sweet Silver Lining

Okay so this is another fic that takes place about…8 years after season 5. Lucas picked Peyton, the two got married and at this point in time…have two kids: a son, Jack, who is 6 and a 19-month-old daughter named Karen, who they call Kari. Their eldest child, a daughter named Sawyer, died two years prior at the age of 5. As for the other couples…Brooke & Julian are happily married and NH + J are all doing well. I think that's all you need to know right now so here's the first chapter! Oh and I know…I have like a million other fics that need to be updated but don't worry…they will be. Be on the look out for a new chapter of Reunion and Tears Are Not Enough. They're just about done and will be coming soon! – Jasmine

Someday

Peyton placed a heavy box down onto the floor in the empty living room and sighed. "Now why exactly is Julian not here helping you and I move him and you into your new house?"

Brooke sighed. "Because his flight got delayed and—"

Just then Brooke tripped and dropped the large box she had been carrying, scattering the box's contents, a bunch of photo albums, all over the floor.

"Great!" an agitated Brooke shouted as she bent down and began collecting the loose photos that now covered the ground. "It's going to take forever to put all these wedding photos back in place."

Peyton bent down and began helping her friend pick up the photos. "No it…"

The blonde let her voice trail off as she noticed a picture of her, Brooke, Haley and Sawyer all dolled up and smiley at Brooke's wedding reception.

Peyton stared long and hard at the blue-eyed mini version of herself and began growing teary-eyed.

Brooke, who had been busy putting the photos scattered around her back in place, glanced over at Peyton and saw the photo. She got up, walked over to Peyton and put her arms around the blonde.

"Peyton I—"

"She would have turned 7 this Saturday." Peyton said as she tried desperately to blink back her tears.

Brooke fixed her lips to speak but couldn't find the right words to ease her best friend's pain so she just comforted her silently, holding her and softly stroking her hair.

"Sawyer she...w—was so happy that she got t—to be the flower girl at your wedding." Peyton said sniffling. "She had…s—such a good time that day. And she looked….so b—beautiful."

Brooke nodded her head in agreement. "She did."

The brunette watched Peyton continue to stare at the photo for a long while before speaking again. "Peyton, are—"

"I'm fine Brooke." Peyton said interrupting. She stood up, walked over to Brooke's wedding album and placed the photo in her hand back in its place. "We…should really get the rest of these up."

Brooke slowly nodded and began helping Peyton collect photos from off the floor.

As Peyton absent mindedly picked up more pictures her eyes diverted to the photo of her, Brooke, Haley and Sawyer and she let her mind drift…

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Two Years Earlier…

Peyton gently knocked on her daughter's cracked door and entered. "Sawyer it's late. Why aren't you sleeping?"

"Because I'm not tired." Sawyer stated simply as she played around with the digital camera in her hands.

Peyton walked over to Sawyer's bed and sat down. "You looking at pictures from the wedding?"

Sawyer nodded. "Yeah."

Peyton scooted closer next to her daughter and looked along with her.

"Aunt Brooke looked really pretty." Sawyer said as she sifted through the many pictures in her camera.

"She sure did." Peyton said, nodding her head in agreement. "And you my dear were the prettiest flower girl I have ever seen."

Sawyer smiled up at her mother. "And you were the prettiest maid of honor I have ever seen."

Peyton kissed her daughter's forehead and watched as the little girl continued to look through all the wedding pictures.

Sawyer smiled brightly when she came across one of her, Peyton, Brooke and Haley. "I love this one of me, you, Aunt Brooke and Aunt Haley. It's one of my favorites." She held the camera up to her mother.

Peyton took it, stared long and hard at the picture on the digital screen and grinned. "I love this one too. Just me, my two best friends, and my favorite girl."

She then placed the digital camera on Sawyer's nightstand and began tickling her little girl, who began laughing incessantly.

"Mommy, stop!" Sawyer yelled out.

"Alright, alright." Peyton said as she stopped tickling her daughter, fixed the covers around Sawyer and re-tucked her in bed. "But only if you shut your eyes and try to get some sleep. You'll regret it tomorrow when you're struggling to stay awake while all your friend's are here having fun at your birthday party!"

"I don't want that to happen!" Sawyer exclaimed as she snuggled underneath her covers, picked up the stuffed bear lying beside her and cuddled it in her arms. "But do you know something that I wish WOULD happen?"

"Now what is that?"

"I wish you and Daddy would have another baby."

Peyton smirked down at her daughter. "Is that so?"

Sawyer nodded. "Yeah, but it has to be a girl! I don't want another pain in the butt brother like Jack!"

Sawyer then stuck her tongue out at her little brother, who was standing by the doorway of her bedroom glaring and sticking his own tongue out at Sawyer.

Peyton shook her head. "Jack, go to bed!"

Jack made a face at his mother. "How come you never yell at Sawyer like you yell at me?"

"Because I'm good and you're bad!" Sawyer yelled out as she sat up. "And because she likes me better than you!"

Peyton rolled her eyes in frustration and directed her attention toward her son. "I do not. I love you both the SAME! And the only reason I'm not yelling at Sawyer to get to bed is because she's already IN bed. So why don't you hop back in to yours and I'll be in your room in a minute to say goodnight."

Jack ignored Peyton and continued to make faces at his sister from the doorway until Lucas emerged from down the hall and scooped up his son. "Jack, enough. It's time for bed." He then headed off toward the little boy's room.

"So can I PLEASE have a sister?" Sawyer asked, pouting her lips out. "Please?"

"We'll see." Peyton said as she leaned down and kissed her daughter on the cheek.

Sawyer sighed. "Okay." She then went to hug her mother. "Goodnight Mommy, I love you."

"I love you too Sawyer." Peyton said as she cradled her little girl closely. "I love you so much."

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Later that night…

"You're not going to believe what Sawyer asked me for tonight." Peyton told her husband as she pulled the covers back in their bed and slid in beside him.

Lucas placed the novel he had been reading on his nightstand and turned his attention to his wife. "What?"

"A sister."

Lucas chuckled and pulled Peyton closer to him. "And how badly did you want to tell her that just five months from now her wish would be coming true?"

Peyton smiled. "Real bad."

"Well I know you wanted to wait until you really started showing before we told Sawyer and Jack but now that you're in your second trimester, I don't think we need to keep the fact that you're pregnant a secret from them anymore."

Peyton nodded her head in agreement. "I don't think we need to either. I was toying with the idea of telling Sawyer at least tonight, but I knew that if I did she'd never go to sleep."

"She wouldn't."

"So I was thinking we tell her and Jack before Sawyer's party tomorrow." Peyton said as she got comfortable. " She's going to be so ecstatic. But as for Jack…well I hope he'll be excited too, but who knows with him."

Lucas shrugged. "Before we tell him we should feed him ice cream."

Peyton laughed. "I think that might be a good idea."

She then laid her head down on Lucas's chest and the two laid together for a long while in silence before Peyton finally spoke up. "I can't believe Sawyer turned five yesterday and that Jack's four. It seems like just yesterday they were both in diapers."

"I know." Lucas said as he adjusted his pillow. "I don't know where the time's gone."

"Neither do I." Peyton said as she stared deeply into her husband's eyes. "Neither do I."

Lucas yawned and stretched. "It's getting late. We should try and get some shut eye."

He took his hand, caressed Peyton's cheek and kissed her. "I love you."

Peyton smiled up at Lucas. "And I love you."

Lucas then leaned across Peyton and turned off her bedside lamp. He then turned his own off and the two closed their eyes and attempted to get some sleep.

Just as Lucas had drifted into a deep sleep and Peyton had managed to doze off, the curly haired blonde was awakened by the pitter patter of little feet and tap on her shoulder.

Peyton slowly opened up her eyes and saw Jack standing before her.

She sat up and rubbed her eyes. "Honey what's the matter? Did you have a bad dream?"

"Yes." Jack whispered out.

Peyton nodded, pulled back the covers and Jack hopped in beside his mother. Within a few minutes they had both fallen back to sleep.

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"Mama, wake up!"

Jack began tugging on Peyton's arm in an attempt to wake her up.

Peyton's eyes slowly started to flutter open. "Jack what—"

"I think I smell smoke!" the little boy interrupted.

Jack's words caused Peyton to really awaken. She immediately sat up, sniffed the air and looked at the door, where she saw smoke creeping into the bedroom. She then hopped out of bed and then lifted Jack out.

Peyton then began pulling on Lucas's arm. "Luke, wake up! There's a fire!"

Lucas slowly awakened and sat up. "Peyton what are you shouting…"

He let his voice trail off as he caught whiff of the smoke and saw it entering into the bedroom from underneath the door.

Lucas immediately hopped out of the bed, ran over to the door and felt the knob. "It's hot!"

He hurried over to the window and tried to open it. "Dammit! It's stuck!"

He then pushed Peyton and Jack to the side and with all his might punched his hand trough the window, smashing it open.

Lucas cleared off the window sill, grabbed his robe from a near by chair, covered the sill with it and motioned for his wife to come over. "Peyton, you're gonna have to jump. It's not that far, you'll be fine."

Peyton nodded and dragged her son to the window. She let go of Jack's hand and Lucas helped her up onto the sill.

She took a deep breath and then jumped, landing hard onto the ground.

"Peyton, you alright?!" Lucas shouted down to his wife.

Peyton nodded and quickly got up from off the grass. "Yes, now hand me Jack!"

Lucas picked his son up and lifted him up to the window and carefully, but hastily lowered him down. "I can't lower him anymore so when I drop him—"

"I'll catch him!" Peyton shouted, cutting him off. "Just do it!"

Lucas let Jack go and the little boy screamed as he fell into his mother's arms and the two collapsed onto the ground.

Lucas leaned out the window and yelled out. "Peyton are you two okay?!"

She nodded. "Yes, but Luke what about Sawyer?! You—"

"I'm going to get her right now!" Lucas shouted back.

He then hurried back to the bedroom door and placed his hand on the now piping hot knob. He knew that opening the door was a fire safety no-no, but he was determined to rescue his daughter. "There's no way I'm leaving this house without Sawyer!"

Lucas took in a deep breath and swung the door open.

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"I'm scared Mama."

Peyton's eyes diverted from the window onto the son she had been absent-mindedly cradling in her arms. "It's okay Jack. We're…we're okay and Daddy and Sawyer are going to be okay too."

She held onto Jack tightly and made her way to the front of the house, where she came face to face with a few of her neighbors.

"Honey, are you two alright?!" an elderly woman asked Peyton.

The teary-eyed blonde nodded. "Yes but…Lucas a—and Sawyer…t—there still inside!"

"Well we called the fire department." another neighbor told Peyton. "They should be here any—"

His words were cut by the loud sirens of fire trucks coming from down the street and pulling up in front of the burning house.

A bunch of firefighters came running from the truck and into the house to put the fire out while two ran over to the distraught blonde.

"Is there anyone else—"

"My husband and daughter!" Peyton shouted out, interrupting. "Oh my God! Lucas! Sawyer!"

A few minutes later two other firefighters emerged from the house with Lucas who was trying with all his might to get back in.

"Let me go!" Lucas yelled out as he tried desperately to break himself loose from the grasp of the firefighters. "I need to get my daughter! Sawyer!"

"They're going to get your daughter" one of the firefighters said to Lucas. "But you can't go back in the there. It's not safe."

"Sawyer!" Lucas shouted again, ignoring the firefighter's words and still trying to get back in the house.

"Sawyer!" Peyton cried out as she cradled Jack in her arms. "S—Sawyer!"

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Peyton's mind returned back to the present day and she instantly dropped the many photos in her hand and burst into tears.

Brooke immediately placed the photos in her hand on the floor and rushed over to her best friend's side.

"It's okay Peyton." Brooke said as she gently laid Peyton's head onto shoulder. "You can cry on my shoulder for as long as you need to."

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Later that night at the Leyton home…

"Mom can you read me my story?" Jack asked as he sat down next to his mother on the couch in the living room.

Peyton, who had been staring aimlessly at the wall as she absent mindedly cradled a sleeping Kari in her arms, said nothing.

"Mom…" Jack began, tapping Peyton on her shoulder in an attempt to get her attention. "Mom."

Peyton suddenly snapped back into reality and turned to Jack. "W—what is it?"

"I'm ready for you to read me my story."

Peyton sighed. "Jack, I know I said that I would read you your story tonight but—"

"You promised to read to me tonight." Jack said interrupting. "You promised."

Peyton nodded. "I know honey but I…" She let her voice trail off, shook her head and sighed.

It was at that moment Lucas, who had quietly emerged into the living room a few moments prior, walked over to his son and bent down to his eyelevel. "Jack how about I read you your story tonight?"

Jack glanced over at his mother who had redirected her attention to the wall. The boy sighed then looked over at his father. "Okay."

He got up and headed off toward his room.

Lucas sighed, stood up and looked down at his wife. "Peyt, are you—"

"I'm fine." Peyton said cutting him off and standing up. "But I…I n—need to clean up the…kitchen. So can you put Kari down for me?"

Lucas stared at Peyton for a long while before nodding and taking his young daughter from her and into his arms. "Sure."

He then watched as Peyton wiped away a tear from her eye and hurried out of the living room and into the kitchen.

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Once Lucas had laid Kari down in her crib and read Jack his story he headed into the kitchen.

He found Peyton vigorously washing dishes at the sink and walked up to her. "Peyton, Brooke she…told me that—"

"I'm fine, ok?!" She said interrupting him. "I'm fine."

Lucas removed the glass from Peyton's hand, placed it into the sink and turned the faucet off.

"I'm not fine." Lucas said as he let the tears that had been welling up in his eyes fall down. "And I know you're not fine either and it's…o—okay not to be fine Peyton. It's okay."

Peyton burst into tears and buried her head into Lucas's chest. "She would've been seven this Saturday. S—she would've…b—been seven."

"I know." Lucas said as he cried into his wife's hair. "I know."

"I miss her Lucas." Peyton stuttered out. "I miss her so much."

Lucas nodded his head in agreement. "M—me too."

The stood crying softly together for a long while before Peyton spoke up. "I…I would give anything to…b—be able to see her again. To h—hold her one more time in my arms and tell her I love her."

"We w—will be reunited with Sawyer again someday Peyton." Lucas said to his wife. "S—someday."

Lucas held onto Peyton tightly and the two continued to cry together.

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Four days later at a mall in Charlotte…

"So what did you think of that band?" Haley asked as she placed her sidekick into her purse.

"I don't know." Peyton began, pausing to take a sip of her coffee. "They're good but—"

"Not great?"

Peyton nodded. "Exactly."

"I agree, they're definitely not great." Haley then stood up, grabbed her handbag and dropped a tip on the table. "I'm just going to run to the bathroom real quick and then we can leave."

"Okay." Peyton said as she took another sip of her coffee.

Haley then hurried off toward the bathroom, leaving Peyton alone at their table.

Peyton placed her iphone into her bag and continued sipping her coffee. She began staring aimlessly at the passerby's out of the café window.

She caught glimpse of a little blonde girl staring at a toy store window and sighed. Just then, the little girl turned around and when Peyton caught glimpse of the girl's face her own turned ghostly white.

"Oh my God…" Peyton whispered quietly to herself.

She grabbed her handbag and made her way out of the café so she could get a closer look at the little girl, but as soon as she got to the toy store she saw that the little girl was gone.

"Where could she have gone?" Peyton asked herself aloud as she looked around for her.

"Where could who have gone?"

Peyton turned to her left and noticed Haley standing beside her.

"Why did you run out of the café like that?"

Peyton opened up her mouth and began stuttering. "I…I t—thought I saw…"

"You thought you saw who?" Haley asked her friend.

Peyton continued to look around for a long while before eventually returning her gaze to Haley. "I thought I saw Sawyer."

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Okay so…there it is. I hope you all liked this first chapter. If you do, I'll most certaintly keep writing. Anyways…two years earlier Lucas and Peyton's 5-year-old daughter died in a house fire…apparently not long after Brooke's wedding day…the day before her fifth birthday party and before she learned that her wish of having a little sister would indeed be coming true. How sad is that? How exactly Sawyer died in that fire and whether or not her body was recovered and all of that is unknown at this point. Okay now we jump to the present…two years later and though the Leyton family has probably accepted her death it's obviously a very difficult time for them as it's around the time of Sawyer's birthday/anniversary of her death. It's obvious that Peyton really only has one thing on her mind and that's Sawyer so is that the reason she thinks she sees her dead daughter while at that mall in Charlotte? Peyton is sure she saw a little blonde girl who was the spitting image of Sawyer staring into a toy store window, but did she? What did Peyton see? Was it a mere look-alike? An unknown twin, perhaps, or a near identical stranger? A figment of her imagination? Something she just conjured up in her head? Did she see her daughter's ghost? Or did she see maybe see Sawyer? Hmm…I don't know! I guess you'll have to keep reading to find out! Please review with your thoughts/predictions. Oh and here are some previews for next time!

Next time…

Haley and Brooke express their worries over Peyton with each other

Peyton is plagued by unfamiliar dreams of Sawyer