Chapter 2
It had taken time for Peyton to heal. Physically and emotionally. She was always a strong and tough girl, an act maybe, but this time was different. This time she had people to lean on. A father, a brother, friends and Lucas. They all banded together to protect her and each other. As months passed by, Tree Hill felt safe again. Two months after that terrifying night, Lucas asked Peyton out. A month later, he asked her to prom. Things were definitely looking up for once in Peyton's life.
Although she was happy, she couldn't help being such a pessimist, but who could blame her with the life she had been dealt with. Still, she moved on with her life and just waited for it to all crumble again because it wasn't really over. Peyton knew that. He was still out there, wandering free on the streets. It was always in the back of her mind and it kept her looking over her shoulder, every once in a while in case he would be there. She never saw him. No one did.
"You know, we still have forty seconds before you have to go in," Lucas smirked as he looked at his watch.
"Well, what do you suggest we do to pass the time?" Peyton stepped closer to him and wrapped her arms around his neck.
Twenty-five seconds later the lips of the two teens reluctantly pulled away from each other. They were both breathless.
"Curfew is almost up," he said sadly.
"Just a few more seconds," Peyton pouted.
"Tomorrow morning," He kissed her quickly on the lips, "I'll take you for breakfast and then we'll have the whole day to ourselves. How's that sound?"
"Perfect," she kissed him one last time.
"Now get in there before you get grounded and I can't kiss you for a week,"
"Goodnight, Luke,"
"Night, Peyton,"
Peyton closed the door behind her without a second to spare. She leaned back on the door, still breathless. Even though she and Lucas had to leave the after party earlier than any other couple, they still ended up having one the best nights of their teenage lives, only to find it unexpectedly end in horror.
A voice called out from the living room. "My girl is always on time. Did you have fun, Peyton?"
Peyton jumped at the sound of the voice. Then her body froze against the door. She hadn't heard that voice for three months but she never forgot it. Paralyzing fear crept up her spine. Suddenly he appeared.
"Hi Peyton," Derek, her psychotic internet stalker, smiled. "That dress looks stunning on you,"
Peyton's instincts told her to open the door and run. Maybe Lucas was still outside. But what about her father? Was he still in the house? She couldn't leave him if he was still there.
She struggled to find her voice, "Wh…where's my dad?"
His demeanor was eerily calm."Oh, he's in the living room. We were just having a nice little chat. Why don't you join us?"
She needed help. Peyton couldn't fight him on her own. Her hand fumbled for the door handle.
"Oh, don't do that, Peyton. You don't want to open that door," he stepped forward.
She wanted to get as far away from him as possible, but she couldn't. Her back was already against the door. Peyton was trapped.
"I'm not going to hurt you, Peyton. I just want to talk. I never meant to hurt you before. I never would. I just wanted the chance for you to get to know me. I love you, Peyton,"
Her big eyes looked at his hand that was extended for her. There was no way she was going to let him touch her, but her body was still frozen in shock, "Dad! Daddy!" she called out.
A mumbling sound came from the living room. Peyton looked at Derek who had that innocent look on his face – the same one that he had on when she met him in the café for the first time. She forced her legs to move and ran past Derek and into the living room.
Larry was tied up and gagged. His good eye opened wide when he saw his daughter run into the room, the other eye was swollen shut.
"Daddy," tears spilled from her eyes as she removed the tie that kept Larry quiet, "Your eye…"
"Peyton, go. Get out of here,"
"NO, I'm not leaving you here alone," Peyton pulled and tried to free her dad from the plastic ties that kept him from moving but plastic was too strong and wouldn't budge.
"Just go and get help," he pleaded.
"Help for what?" Derek said as he stood behind Peyton. "You know you're gonna need a knife to cut those off,"
Peyton spun around and protectively got in front of her dad. Her naïve instincts got the best of her. "Leave us alone!" she yelled. "Get out of my house, you sick freak!"
It was only then did she see the hunters knife in one of Derek's hand and more plastic ties in the other.
Lucas smiled to himself as he got into the limo. He blissfully reflected on the night, from the moment he first saw Peyton come down the stairs to the moment he watched her safely enter her house. Prom night was perfect. No one could have asked for a better night.
As the limo began to pull away from the Sawyer's curb, Lucas looked back at the house one last time. He blinked several times to make sure his eyes weren't playing tricks on him. They weren't. Standing the middle of the Sawyer's living room was Psycho Derek.
"Stop the car!" Lucas yelled from the back of the limo as he opened the door. Abruptly the car stopped, still in clear view of the house. Lucas ran out.
"Hey," the driver said as he got out of the car, "What's going on?"
Lucas stopped and looked back at the confused chauffer. He ran back to him and took out his cell phone, "I need your help. Call Detective Wilcox and tell him the stalker is in Peyton's house. Got it?"
The chauffer barely nodded as Lucas shoved the phone into his hands. He looked at the cell phone and then back to Lucas who was running towards the house. "Detective, stalker, Peyton…what?"
Lucas didn't know exactly what he was going to do, but he knew he had to do something, even if it meant stalling Derek until the police arrived. Lucas crept through the bushes and peered through the living room window. Peyton and Larry's scared faces were in clear view but Derek was no where in sight. Lucas tried to get a better look into the room but the only thing he saw next was darkness.
Lucas groggily groaned when he came to. The back of his head was throbbing in pain. His eyes slowly opened. It took a few second for the blurred vision to clear and when it did, he saw that he was seated in the Sawyer's dining room. Across from him sat a scared Peyton. She was gagged. Her face was stained with black mascara and tears. Immediately Lucas tried to get up to go to her, but he couldn't. He was tied to the chair. Lucas struggled to get free.
Larry, who was also gagged, sat beside Lucas. He mumbled incoherently to get Lucas to stop struggling. Derek glared at Lucas from the side of the room. He had kept an eye on the limo from the living room window and saw Lucas come back. "You should have left, Lucas,"
"Let her go," Lucas threatened.
Derek laughed, "You'd love that wouldn't you? To pretend that you're Peyton's hero again," Derek made his way over to the table and stood behind Peyton. The hunters knife was still in his right hand. "You're not a hero, Luke. You're a phony. I see right through you. And I'm going to tell her everything,"
Derek put the knife down and kneeled beside Peyton. He looked at her as gently and as sincerely as he could, "Everything is Lucas's fault. He told you nothing but lies about me so that you would turn against me. His plan was to make me look like a bad guy so he could pretend to rescue you so that you would fall in love with him. And it would have worked, but I've been watching out for you Peyton. I've always been watching you. And all I saw was him holding you and kissing you…That should have been me, Peyton. Not Lucas. He doesn't care about you. He just took you away from me. But don't worry. You don't have to be scared anymore. I'm here now,"
Derek reached out to wipe a tear away but she cringed and turned her head away. His eyes became sad at the thought of making Peyton fear him.
"Don't touch her," Lucas yelled and struggled to get free again.
It was Lucas's fault. Derek glared at Lucas. Derek picked up the hunting knife and lunged across the table. The knife stopped only millimeters from Lucas's face. "You did this! You made her scared of me!"
The menu screen was difficult for the chauffer to follow. He hated technology and if he wasn't flustered enough already, he had to deal with an unfamiliar cell phone which only frustrated him anymore. He couldn't figure out how to access Lucas's phone book.
"Aw, screw it," He mumbled. His shaking finger pressed zero and then the send button. That much he knew.
When the line connected, the chauffer spoke, "Operator? I need Detective Wilcox from the Tree Hill police station. It's an emergency,"
Peyton tried to scream through her gag. She wanted to keep Derek's attention on her. She had to believe that Derek wouldn't hurt her. Derek looked back at her. He smiled. He became drawn to her and went back to her. Gently he removed her gag.
Peyton took deep breaths to calm her nerves. If they were going to get out of this alive and unhurt, she had to remain strong. "I believe you, Derek,"
"You do?'
Peyton nodded.
"I knew you would," he sounded relieved. "Will you come away with me?"
The question nearly threw her but she didn't waver. "Yes," she said quietly.
"Peyton," Lucas warned.
"Shut up, Lucas," responded Peyton, which seemed to please Derek.
"But before we can go, Derek…"
"Josh. My real name is Josh,"
"OK...um. Josh, before we go you have to let them go,"
"No," He frowned at her. "You're just trying to trick me,"
"What? No. Please, Josh. Just let them go and I'll with you,"
"Promise?"
"I…yes. I promise,"
Josh thought for a moment. "Ok. But only one can go. Only one can go safely, Peyton. You don't need the both of them in your life. You have me too, remember? Aren't I enough for you?"
"Yes, you are," she lied. Peyton felt sick, "But I'm not going to pick. Don't make me pick, Josh. Please," she pleaded.
Josh shrugged, "Then you don't have to," A grin crossed his face, "We'll let our little phony hero decide,"
Josh stood up and walked around the table. He stood behind the two men. Peyton watched helplessly. "Josh, don't. Please,"
He didn't seem to hear her. He leaned over and spoke into Lucas's ear. "Now who will you pick to go free? Peyton's dad who she loves dearly or you?"
Lucas refused to answer. He just glared back at Josh.
"You know, if you really love Peyton, you'd let her father go…just my opinion, hero," Josh said.
He had to keep stalling. The police should have been there minutes ago. Lucas prayed that the chauffer didn't get scared and drive off. He cursed himself for not making the call himself.
All of the flashing blue and red lights were turned off as they turned onto the Sawyer's street. Four marked police cruisers followed the black unmarked car and stopped two houses away from the Sawyer's resident. Detective Wilcox stepped out of his car and ran across the lawn, motioning for his men to surround the house quietly and undetected.
As the men waited in their positions, Detective Wilcox and two of his men peered through the windows of the house. They spotted four people in the dining room. Three of them were tied down, while one paced freely back and forth. Just then, Lucas caught a glimpse outside the window. He felt relieved to know that help was there.
Detective Wilcox quietly radioed to his other men to relocate their positions towards the west side of the house. He then instructed the two men who were with him to keep an eye on the room and shoot only if necessary. The detective then ran towards the back of the house just as Josh held the knife to one of his victim's throat.
"Are you sure about this, Lucas?"
"No, Josh, please don't!" Peyton cried.
"Stay out of this, Peyton. This is Lucas's choice, remember?"
Larry continued to mumble through his gag. This time it was him who was trying to struggle free. Lucas breathing became rapid but he remained calm.
"I'm sorry, Peyton," Derek said. Lucas's body tightened as he felt the cool blade on his skin. Lucas winced and tried to move away from the sharp edge.
At one last attempt Peyton screamed, "If you do it, I'll hate you, Josh,"
"NO! You can't. We are meant to be, don't you see that?" Josh looked darkly at Peyton, then down at Lucas. "Peyton, do you love him? Or do you love me?" For the first time that night he pointed the knife at Peyton, "Answer me!" Josh walked away from Lucas and started towards Peyton.
As he rounded the table, Josh was now out of striking distance of his victims. Detective Wilcox seized the opportunity to let his presence known.
"Don't move!" he bellowed with his gun fixed on the suspect.
Everyone froze in the room. Josh suddenly became scared. He didn't know what was going on or who called the cops. His plan was ruined. He was no longer in control.
"Put the weapon down," Wilcox demanded.
He peeled his eyes away from the gun and looked at Peyton one last time, "I love you, Peyton,"
Before anyone could react, Josh ran out of the room. He headed straight for the front door and ran out of the house. Suddenly two gun shots went off. Peyton jumped twice and cried in horror. Detective Wilcox turned on his walkie talkie. Peyton, Larry and Lucas sat quiet as they listened to the walkie.
"Suspect shot," a voice crackled through the speaker. "Call for bus…there's no pulse. Suspect is dead,"
It was finally over.
A/N: Ok, so I said this was gonna be two chapters long, but it's gonna be three now : D. Originally the idea of this fic was to kinda focus on the relationships formed/reconnected (basically a lot of fluff) b/n Peyton with her dad, Lucas and the real Derek, but that would have been too boring ;) So I added some drama. hope you enjoyed this chapter.
