'You're back now, we can be a family again everything will be fine' She kissed his forehead repeatedly, rocking him slightly. 'Everything's going to be ok Luke, everything's ok'. He lent his head against her chest, allowing her to soothe him for a few more minutes.

'I'm sorry'

'Don't apologise' She ran her fingers over his bristly chin. He shook her hand away, abruptly pushing against her small frame. He suddenly felt vulnerable in her arms, he needed her to get away from him. He couldn't allow her to break through the wall he'd put up over his couple of years away. Lucas suddenly pushed her away a little more violently than expected causing her to fall from his lap and land on the floor with a loud thump. She gasped, her eyes wide as she stared up at him a little taken aback by his harsh movement. 'I'm sorry' He quickly got to his feet, she shuffled backward, looking up at him warily. 'I'm sorry' She hastily pushed herself off the floor, refusing the hand held out to her. She avoided his eyes, turning away from his remorseful stare. 'Peyton I'm, I'm sorry' She ran a hand through her unruly locks. She'd cut it shorter than he remembered, her curls falling at the side of her face, insinuating her cheek bones. He shifted his weight nervously, unsure of what to do. He hadn't meant too. He'd just needed space. 'Peyton?'

'I'm fine' She mumbled. 'It's fine- this is ready so…' She trailed off, busying herself with dishing up their dinner. The initial shock of his sudden coldness had left her feeling numb inside. She couldn't bare to see him so disconnected, unable to look at her and tell her what he was feeling. That's one thing they'd always been good at doing, he was the only person she'd ever managed to open up too, the only person that had ever just understood her and the last two years had been hard on her. Not having that person who she could speak to. She set the plates down on the table, both sitting in silence as they slowly ate. Lucas mumbling the odd word here and there in an effort to make up for his previous actions. 'Are you done?' Peyton asked after fifteen minutes of awkward tension.

'Yeah..er, th..thanks' He stuttered as she cleared away, bunging the plates into the sink with every intention of washing them up but instead found herself gazing into the misty window, inspecting her reflection. She conscientiously tucked a curl behind her ear and rubbed her perfect lips together.

'Luke' She abruptly turned around.

'Yeah?' She stepped over to him, reaching for his hand. 'What...what is it?' He asked confusedly, as she yanked him up, leading him out of the room with a matter of urgency. She didn't answer, silently leading him upstairs to her room, their room. A small smile tugged at her lips at the thought, he was back, it was their room again. She no longer was on her own, Isabel had a daddy again, she was no longer a single parent struggling to bring up a child that half the time she didn't understand or have a clue how to handle. They were in it together. She carefully closed the door behind them. He glanced around. Everything looked the same as when he'd left, albeit, it was somewhat more messier. He always was the neat and tidy one, Peyton just didn't seem to understand how to keep things orderly. She finally released his sweaty palm, moving robotically, slowly edging away from him, her hand moving behind her, reaching for the zip of her dress and giving it a gentle tug, her nervous green eyes never leaving his. He gulped, realising immediately why she'd led him upstairs. She wanted to fix him, to make him remember how happy they'd been, how completely head over heels in love with him she was. It had been too long. She turned around, her back to him, waiting expectantly. Lucas watched, his eyes travelling up and down her beautiful body, admiring her every curve. It took him a few minutes to respond, taking a step toward her. She shivered as his hand finally, slowly trailed up her back, before finishing off the small detail she'd started, pulling the zip the rest of the way down with a sharp yank. She gasped at the sudden jerk. He swallowed thickly as more creamy white flesh came into view, beautiful soft skin that he was aching to touch. Hesitantly, with shaking hands, his fingers crawled beneath the material. She immediately lent back into his powerful arms, her eyes closed, basking in the physical contact she'd so greatly missed. He took his time, reacquainting himself with her body. God he'd missed her. He gently slid the straps off of her slender shoulders, sending the dress to the floor, his lips brushing over the back of her neck. 'I love you' She murmured, tears finally escaping her weary eyes. He turned her around, wiping them away with his thumb. 'I love you' She desperately wanted to hear him say it back, needed him to say it, but he didn't, instead he laid her back on the bed, ridding himself of his t-shirt before hovering over her. His serious eyes staring at her hungrily. He groaned loudly. He'd forgotten what it felt like, to have her long legs wrapped around him, her delicate hands running up and down his back, her hot breath on his neck. She arched her back, rocking her hips against him. 'Tell me you love me' She whispered. His eyes flickered to hers.

'Have you been with anyone else?' He suddenly found himself demanding, his eyes searching hers. That was the last thing she'd expected to hear and was certainly not the words of love and devotion she so longingly wanted to fall from his lips. His imagination had run away with him during his absence, so much so that he'd convinced himself that she was having some sordid affair. He'd spent so many nights with heart wrenching images invading his mind- picturing her with other men- wondering if she'd given up on him, if she'd simply needed some relief. She immediately stopped thrusting her hips forward, her eyes clouded over.

'What?' Her hoarse voice asked disbelievingly.

'I need to know' He pleaded.

'Lucas' She shook her head, blinking away her tears, she couldn't believe what she was hearing- yes it had been hard but never, never could she ever be with anyone but him and she'd thought he'd gone away trusting her, believing in her but that trust was something that had been slowly destroyed. He didn't trust anyone anymore. 'I never' She bit her lip. 'I swear. I love you, how could I' He searched her eyes, studying her sceptically. 'Luke' She exhaled heavily, trying to conceal the sob that was threatening to escape her quivering lips. She needed him to believe her. 'I love you' Whether he believed her or not she didn't know but his lips were suddenly back on hers and he was kissing her desperately.

'MUMMY!' Peyton's eyes darted open, whimpering at the sound of her daughters cry. She really didn't think that she could physically leave Lucas right now, She desperately needed him, he needed her. 'MUMMA' Lucas carried on issuing her neck with kisses, intent on ignoring the youngster. 'MUMMY' Peyton reluctantly bought her hands up to his shoulders, her daughters more frantic cries telling her that it wouldn't be much longer before they had company.

'Luke' She gently pushed against his chest. 'Luke' She swallowed, trying to move but he pushed her into the mattress gripping her arms painfully. 'Baby' She whimpered. 'Luke look at me' His eyes slowly found hers. 'If I don't go and see her she's going to come in' She whispered desperately knowing they didn't have much time before the small child worked up enough courage to leave her room. The last thing she wanted right now was their four year old to walk in and see them.

'Muuuummmy'

'I'll be back' She promised. He exhaled heavily, slowly releasing his bruising grip on her arms and dropping his head into the crook of her neck, inhaling her scent. 'I'll be right back' She promised, slowly trailing her fingers soothingly over the back of his head, urging him to let her go. He slowly lifted his weight off of her, allowing her to get up, groaning painfully at the sudden lack of contact, throwing his head into the pillow exasperatedly. 'I won't be a minute' She murmured, throwing one of his old t-shirts over her head before going to see to their daughter. He lay there, his head buried in his pillow. He couldn't help but resent their little girl for taking Peyton away from him, she wasn't just his anymore though, she was a wife and a mother. He immediately felt guilty for even thinking that, she was his daughter he loved her, but he hardly knew her. When he left she was so little, so dependent on both her parents but now she was her own person, of course she was still small but she didn't need to rely on them as much, she no longer needed him like she had when he went. He shifted onto his side, sad tears trailing down from his broken eyes as he wondered if he'd always feel like this, like he no longer belonged, wondered if he could ever be happy and content again, wondered if Peyton deserved better, if both Peyton and Isabel deserved someone better, whether their marriage could possibly survive.