A/N: Just a really short follow-up chapter, all I intend on doing in this one is setting up the storyline for this story. Have fun reading... :)
Peyton waited a month until she left Tree Hill. Her body couldn't take much more. She was sick, no appetite and headaches straining her everyday life left and right. But mostly, her heart ached. She needed Jake Jagelski and there was no doubt about it. Of course there was no doubt for Peyton to begin with, but if Jake needed the comfort of Peyton tying up loose ends in Tree Hill, that was the least she could do.
Her blond hair flew in her eyes, making Peyton wish that she had a top on her old car. It was annoying, but she finally got used to it by the time she crossed into South Carolina. Back in Tree Hill, her friends were starting to take their finals. Peyton stayed just long enough to see Haley and Nathan get married, and say her goodbyes to Brooke and Lucas and her father. School was taken care of as well; Peyton took her finals in advance and had many meetings with Principal Turner about finishing her classes online or via mail to ensure that she would be graduating with her class, even if it was in absentia. There was no reason to be there any longer. Tree Hill held no appeal, not that it ever could compete with wherever Jake and Jenny were.
Peyton spaced out most of the time, daydreaming about how her new life would be. She'd get into the mother groove instantly, she just knew it. Her and Jenny would visit the playground every other day, where Peyton could draw while she watched her daughter be adventurous. She'd cook for Jake, clean, do everything that an atypical housewife would do. Peyton Sawyer knew that she'd be the best mom and wife in Georgia.
Speaking of the Peach State and her new home, Peyton drove by the 'Welcome To Georgia!' sign before she knew it. The drive was a piece of cake- no traffic, accidents, nor the slightest wrong turn. 'Maybe all journies towards your true destiny were this easy,' Peyton thought.
She took the exit that would lead her to Jake's house- to her home. He wasn't expecting her, but that just made everything more interesting. She knew he'd be overjoyed at her arrival, he said he would be.
Peyton parked the Comet on the side of the road in front of Jake's house - her house, too, now, she was really going to have to get used to calling it that - and exited her beloved vehicle.
Peyton's nerves were tingling with excitement. This was the start of her family, her life. She couldn't believe that walking up to this door could ever be so hard. 'It's just Jake,' she told herself in the hope that she'd be calm enough to knock on the door. 'No, it's the love of your life! Your fiancé!' another part of Peyton chimed in. "Either way, calm down!" she hissed at herself.
"Peyton?" Jake asked, stunned to see the beautiful blond on his doorstep. "Were you talking to yourself?"
Peyton nervously giggled, turning around to face him. Apparently he was just returning home after picking up Jenny from daycare, something she hadn't thought of. "No," she denied, "That-it was nothing."
Jenny gurgled happily at the sight of Peyton, recognizing her quickly. Her chubby arms reached for the tall, lanky woman and Peyton happily obliged, grabbing Jenny and holding her close. "Hey you," she entertained the child with a one-way conversation, "Did my Jenners miss me?" Peyton made silly faces and noises, eliciting raucous laughs from the little girl.
"I know I did," Jake answered the question posed at his daughter, unable to stop staring at Peyton. He was ecstatic she was here, but why?
"Lucas is in my heart, Jake," Peyton supplied an answer to the question she knew was on his mind. "I don't think he's leaving any time soon," she sighed. It hurt her to watch Jake's face fall in disbelief and defeat. "But he's there as a friend."
"What?" Jake had tuned Peyton out after the admission that Lucas was still in her heart. There was nothing else he needed to hear. But that last part, he needed to hear that again.
"Brooke, Lucas, Haley, Nathan, they're all in my heart as friends. They each get a piece because I love them- as friends," Peyton smiled, moving Jenny to her right hip, a more comfortable spot.
"So what about me and Jenny?" Jake asks, needing to know that Peyton means business.
"Well you two are there, too. And guess what?" Peyton had a full-blast grin now. Jake did too, he was itching to passionately kiss this girl he loved with all his heart.
"You guys have the biggest parts," Peyton breathed softly, pushing hair out of Jenny's eyes and helping to close the gap between her and Jake's lips.
"I love you, Peyton Elizabeth Sawyer."
"And I love you, Jacob Bryan Jagelski."
Jenny let out a timely hiccup. "And I love you too, Miss Jenny Nicole Jagelski," Peyton cooed.
The three made their way inside the house, as a family. That was how it was meant to be. Finally, things were right.
Peyton woke up the next morning when the sun shone through the blinds, shooting at her closed eyelids. After blinking out the light, Peyton squinted as she slowly and quietly turned over to see Jake next to her. And there he was. For a moment she was afraid that he would be gone when she woke up, that this would all be a dream. Peyton smiled as she adoringly watched Jake sleep. He was smiling, even in slumber. Peyton knew she probably slept the same way that night.
There was a slight whimper coming from Jenny's room. Worried that Jake would wake up, Peyton rushed to the little girl's aid, hoping that Jake could get as much sleep as he could, knowing how little sleep he usually got.
"Hey baby girl," Peyton cooed upon entering Jenny's room. Jenny was standing up at her crib, but she wasn't crying. Jenny only stared at Peyton with a look of innocence that only a baby could have. A confused Peyton still heard whimpering, and she picked up Jenny. The crying only got louder as Peyton rocked the baby back and forth in her arms. What was wrong with her?
"Peyton!" a male voice called for her, sounding as if it was coming from Jake's room. Peyton assumed it was concerning the crying, Jake probably was wondering if she had a handle on Jenny. She was afraid to tell him that it wasn't Jenny crying, that they were going crazy. But at least if Jake heard it, too, maybe there was some sort of other explanation for the voice she was hearing.
She re-entered Jake's room, unable to find the man that was previously sleeping peacefully on the bed. "Jake!" she yelled, setting Jenny down on the floor. "Jake!" Peyton repeated, searching the bathroom and living room for him. He was nowhere to be found. Peyton then rushed back to the bedroom, remembering that she set Jenny down amidst her worry.
"Dammit, Jenny," Peyton cursed under her breath, beginning to cry. Jenny was gone, too. Maybe her and Jake were playing hide-and-go-seek with her, but this was no longer funny.
"Jake, Jenny!" Peyton yelled, collapsing on the bed in defeat. To make things worse, the crying was louder still.
"Peyton!" someone was calling for her, but it wasn't Jake, Peyton realized. This wasn't Jake's voice.
"Would you please wake your lazy ass up and get the baby?" The harsh voice demanded. Peyton threw her head on the pillow in Jake's bed, the pillow she watched Jake sleep on moments ago, and tried to block out this confusing dream.
'Wake up, Peyton. Wake up, wake up, wake up!' she demanded of herself. This was wrong, this was bizarre. It was time for her to wake up next to Jake, and make breakfast with Jenny for him.
She nervously re-opened her eyes, gulping as she took a look around the room she was in.
"It's about damn time," Lucas muttered to his wife, "Sawyer's bawling. Can you please take care of her?"
Peyton's face fell, her jaw dropped, aghast. No. No, no no no no no. Not again. She couldn't have had that same dream again. It was the third time this month.
"God Luke, you can't go pick up your own daughter? She just wants to be held," Peyton spat, trudging to the nursery where her almost one-year-old daughter was sleeping moments ago. She cradled Sawyer in her arms, hushing the baby successfully.
"See Luke?" Peyton hissed, nodding towards the peaceful little girl in her arms. "Sawyer just needs a parent to comfort her, to show her that we're here for her," Peyton's voice was riddled with disappointment. This just made her think about how Lucas treated their daughter when she wasn't around.
Lucas sighed, turning over in the bed, facing away from Peyton. "Peyton just lay off, okay? I am here for her. This is the first time you've seen her in, what, two weeks?" Lucas hit a nerve. Peyton hated that her work was keeping her away from her baby daughter, but she felt as if she had to be there for her budding record label.
"Yes Luke, yes it has." Peyton bit back the pain, swallowing hard. "Unfortunately, I do have to work a lot. Why is that, Lucas? Because I was under the impression that the record label is our only source of income since you don't want to tour for The Comet," Peyton snapped back, knowing that she was hitting Lucas where it hurt. But he deserved it. He knew how much Peyton hated being away from him and Sawyer. If he was going to bring that up, she would bring up his weak spot- the failed second novel.
Lucas got out of bed, scowling. "Yeah, fine, Peyton. Be like that. I wonder why The Comet sucked so bad? Maybe because you inspired it?" At this point, Sawyer was whimpering. Peyton's jaw slowly slid open in disbelief.
Instantly, Lucas regretted his words. "Dammit," he cursed under his breath. His wife stood in the doorway, frozen. There was no clever retort this time, she was truly speechless.
"Peyt," he whispered, "I-I didn't mean it..." he trailed off. Peyton, shook her head and ran from the house, realizing all too late that she had Sawyer on her hip and nowhere to go.
Sawyer uncomfortably whined as she was shifted in her mother's arms. "Sorry, baby," Peyton tried to placate her daughter. "Mommy is so, so sorry," she needlessly apologized for everything- for not being around for her enough, for her father being a jerk. "Ever since Jake came back in town, I've been a mess, haven't I?" Peyton asked her daughter, not expecting a reply, though it was comforting nonetheless to talk about it.
It was true, Peyton knew it. Ever since Jake arrived back in Tree Hill, Peyton was a wreck.
A/N: Tell me what you think! :)
(Updated: To clear things up, here's what just happened- Peyton went back to Jake, like he said she could if she settled things in Tree Hill. However, that was a dream. One she's been having quite often, but you'll see why in the chapters to come.... Speaking of, the rest of the story takes place post-Season 6. Just pretend Lucas and Peyton never left Tree Hill.)
