The Simplicity of Eternity

Chapter Two: Sing for Absolution

A/N: So I'm guessing you guys don't like this fic too much since I only got a few reviews. That's fine and understandable. I might continue this fic when I get back from Puerto Rico, but if you hate Jaime Gines, that sucks because he's going to be a recurring character and plays a major role. Though the story does focus most on LucasxPeyton, there will be side pairings.

I

Lips are turning blue
A kiss that can't renew
I only dream of you
My beautiful

Cities were merely a blur for them. The shark nosed Mustang tore through I-95, flying across and passing cars as if they were standing still. Savannah, Georgia was an easy cruise, and they drove through South Carolina for what felt like five hours, but it was really three and some change and finally they ended up in North Carolina. They had just passed Charlotte which was approximately two hours away from their destination.

Their ride was pretty uneventful but interesting as Jaime sing songed 'I'm so gonna bang Brooke Davis.'

They paused outside a rest stop in Wilmington and got out of the car to stretch their legs out. The two friends walked towards the bathroom to take a tinkle, and on the way to the bathroom, Lucas asked Jaime, "So do you want to sleep with Brooke because she's hot and rich, or because you genuinely like how I portrayed her in my book?"

Jaime gave him a knowing look. "Does it matter?" he replied suggestively.

"Kinda, she's a close friend of mine, well at least she was." Lucas responded with a sharp glare.

"Meh…troublesome. I want to sleep with her because she's hot, rich, and I like the way you portrayed her. Not to mention, I subscribed to her magazine B. Davis just to read her editorials." Jaime shot back, opening the door to the bathroom. It reeked of urine and old men. "Look you got that whole thing with Peyton going on, so worry about that. Unless you want to switch?" Jaime asked smirking.

"No… look, I really doubt Peyton and I are going to get back together. Too much history, you know? I just need to see her and see how she's doing. If I was intent on being with her, I would of drove up her too, instead I left my stuff back in Jax because I know I'm not staying in Tree Hill. I'm just coming to satisfy your curiosity and mines as well." Lucas offered doubtfully.

"Whatever, if you say so." Jaime replied grinning. "You never got over her and you know it. That's the only reason you're coming, you want to see her and find some kind of flaw in her so you can stop thinking about her and get over her bruh. How stupid do you think I am?" Jaime asked indignantly.

"Shut up." Lucas shot back, nothing more he can really say to that. He was kind of right after all.

After leaving the rest stop, the two headed off again, jumping onto I-243 heading towards the final destination.

Tree Hill, North Carolina.

One hour and thirty two minutes later they pulled into the town and Jaime and Lucas took it all in. Jaime was more awed though, having never been there, and having never been in anything other than a large metropolis area. Lucas was in awe because he hadn't been home in so long and memories were running rampant through his head. They passed up TRIC and he thought of all the nights he spent with his friends, watching Haley perform, Peyton after Ellie's death and the charity concert they'd thrown.

It all came back in a rush that almost left him breathless.

Then they passed the River Court and he remembered his battles with Nathan, how he had aspired to be a basketball player, literally growing up on the court with Skills, Mouth, and Jimmy.

Thinking about him left a bad taste in his mouth, and he knew he had to go to the cemetery. He had to see his parents, he hadn't seen them in so long.

"Hey Jaime, stop at the cemetery real quick, I kind of need a moment." Lucas spoke, and once he arrived, he stepped out of the car and walking over to the place he buried his mother and surrogate father Keith Scott.

Once Jaime was out of sight leaving him to his moment, Lucas broke down, finally alone. Tears streamed from his eyes and down his cheeks as memories of that horrid day tormented his consciousness, making him feel like he was to blame for going back into the school. If he hadn't gone back in for Peyton, Keith would have been alive and so would his mother by default.

He would have never left Tree Hill and he would have been with Peyton and everything would have been okay and these last two years wouldn't have been so bad. "Why'd you have to die?" Lucas asked, kneeling in front of their graves.

In life they died next to each other, so it was only fitting they were buried next to each other in death. He traced his mother's tombstone, reading the words he himself had asked to be engraved.

"Karen Roe, a strong woman, a stronger mother who defied odds in life even into her death."

He looked at Keith's grave and sobbed. He missed him more than anyone would know. It had been Keith who held him as a kid when he was scared, who taught him basketball, who had given him the world that Dan hadn't.

"Keith Scott, beloved brother, uncle, father. A man truly worth the love and honor received, he will be missed by all."

His throat felt so tight and constricted, his tears flowing loosely as he bent his head onto the cement tombstone, his tears splattering the words and the earth in which Keith was under. He stomach revolted and he wanted to throw up.

How dare he run away like a coward, and not visit them in two years?

Keith would be ashamed to call him his son…

Drying his eyes on his sleeve, he sat there looking forlorn and lost. His cell vibrated in his pocket and he picked it up to see a text from Jaime.

Take all the time you need mane. I'll be at the river court.

Silently thanking his best friend for knowing him so well, Lucas Scott cried, he cried until he couldn't anymore, and for the first time in a while, he felt good. Perhaps returning to Tree Hill wasn't as bad as he'd thought.

Tip toe to your room
A starlight in the gloom
I only dream of you
And you never knew

II

Sing for absolution
I will be singing
And falling from your grace
ooh

Jaime finished wrapping the blunt in his hand, licking the side to keep it together, grabbing a light and sealing it. The zippo's blue flame licked at the front of the blunt, and smoke and THC flooded his system. Holding the smoke in his chest as long as he could, he promptly exhaled it and coughed, the THC already running rampant in his brain.

"Goddamn, I hope they ain't got no bullshit dirt up here." Jaime commented to himself, feeling a weird buzz licking at his body, and fought the urge to smile.

"Hey man are you crazy or what?" Someone called out and Jaime turned around, his blood red eyes taking in the person calling out to him. He was about his height, black, and bald. He was attired in black basketball shorts, a pair of Jordans and a loose fitting tank top.

"What's it to you, bruh?" Jaime shot back, mildly irritated at the intrusion. He was hoping to be left alone in his thoughts, to think of his past, and the mistakes he'd made in life. Life really wasn't fair, and neither was his ex-fiancée. She had fucking ruined him, destroying his heart, several all ties to intimacy and commitment for Jaime.

"Bro, you know that's illegal right?" the guy continued, and Jaime's irritation grew.

"No shit, what's the point already?" Jaime snapped, frustrated at the man's insistence.

"Hey man, don't cop an attitude, I'm just telling you, you might want to be careful where you smoke that stuff around here."

"You must be the whitest black guy I've ever met. Lemme guess, you that token cat right? Do you potna, and let me do me." Jaime spat, before killing the joint, not wanting to attract any more attention to him.

"Hey bro, I ain't no token puppet for no one. I'm doing me, so how about you put your money where your mouth is and we play a game, or are you too high for that?" the guy asked. He then turned around and called out behind him. "Hey Mouth, gather up everybody, I want to disgrace this guy in front of everyone."

Now Jaime was pissed. Who was this bastard to be talking shit when he didn't even know him to be making claims like that? "Hey on the real bruh, as high as I am, you still couldn't score more then six to my eleven." Jaime shot back. "Feel free to warm up homeboy." Jaime called before walking towards his parked car.

"Hey where you going?" he called out.

"Changing." Jaime shot back before popping the trunk to his Mustang. Slipping out of his jeans, he already had basketball shorts underneath. He'd been wanting to take Lucas on, but he could deal with this guy first. He took off his AF-1's and put on a pair of black Nike Shox. He was already wearing a short sleeved Avenged Sevenfold shirt, before heading back up to the court, in his hands two hundred dollars.

Once his temporary rival saw the cash, his eyes widened. "You gonna put up two hundred on a game of basketball, I was talking more like forty, homey."

"Whatever." Jaime replied. "If you win, you get the two hundred, if I win you leave me alone to smoke wherever I please, neighborhood watchdog. What is your fuckin' name by the way?" Jaime asked.

"It's Skills. You?" Skills asked.

A light of realization popped up in Jaime's face. "Jaime Gines. So you Skills, one of Lucas' homeboys, right?" Jaime asked. A few people gathered up on the court to watch them play. They sat on the bench and waited patiently for the newcomer to get his ass kicked.

"I used to. I don't fuck with that punk ass coward no mo'. How you know Lucas anyway, you read his book or something?" Skills growled out.

"Nah, he my best friend so I suggest you don't call him a coward in my presence." Jaime growled back.

"You friends with Lucas Scott, right?" Skills shot back doubtfully. "You must be one of them ol' Stan ass cats." He stated and everyone laughed at Jaime, chuckling at Skills' joke.

"I am, you'll see him in a minute. Come on fuckboy, you think I'm really from this dump. Just shoot for ball and let's play." Jaime replied defensively, a little irritated. Him…Lucas' stan, hell to the nah.

Skills glared at his for a second before shooting a three pointer and sinking it with a swish. "My ball, bruh." He shot at him, making fun of his accent, accentuating the slang.

"Whatever." Jaime locked eyes with his opponent before passing him the ball. They checked it up and Skills dribbled for a second, before jumping to take another three pointer. Jaime read his movements and jumped into the air after him, swatting the ball as Skills released it, then snatching it away from him.

"Fluke." Skills replied, a determined look on his face.

Jaime smiled and then began dribbling the ball between his legs, Skills went for the steal, but Jaime braked and crossed him over by faking then moving to the right. Using all the speed and agility he could muster, he sprinted to the free throw line, before leaping into the air. In mid air he slid the ball between his legs, then spun around and dunked in reverse.

"One." Jaime spoke arrogantly, pissing off Skills.

"You got lucky."

After they checked it up Jaime sunk a three pointer, then three more after that. "Lucky, right?" Jaime drawled sarcastically.

Skills maintained the defense and Jaime used his upper body strength to keep him at bay, before shooting a turnaround fade away jumper. The ball bounced off the backboard and into the basket easily. "Ten. Zip."

After checking up again, he drove it to the hoop, Skills on him the entire time. They leapt into the air at the same, and Skills tried his best to block it, but rather than dunking, Jaime switched the ball to his left hand laying a reverse layup that Skills couldn't block. "Game." Jaime called out and Skills glared at him with all the hate he could muster.

"We all get good days and bad days." He offered as an excuse.

"Making friends already Jaime?" a voice called out and Lucas walked out onto the River Court.

"Not really, he pissed me off." Jaime replied truthfully.

"'Sup Skills?" Lucas asked, giving his old friend a nod. He extended his hand and Skills looked at it like it was poisoned or something.

"We ain't even cool like that, so get out my face." Skills spat at him.

Lucas knew people would be disgruntled at him for leaving, but the glare Skills sent him was full of scathing hate. "Damn, that's how it is?" Lucas asked.

"Yeah it is." Skills said.

Lucas looked at Mouth and Garbage who looked away, the same hate burning in their eyes. To be honest, Lucas felt like Jesus walking down Jerusalem, carrying the cross on his back as people hated him for things they didn't understand.

"Aight, y'all take care." Lucas replied, before lighting up a cigarette. "Told you this place was a dump." Lucas added to Jaime.

"Meh." Jaime replied, bored.

"It's a Saturday, we could check out the TRIC club in a few hours." Lucas offered.

"Hell yeah, Peyton works their right?" Jaime asked.

"Yeah, why?" Lucas asked.

"Cuz this shit is fina be interestin'. It's gonna be like something of dem white people shows." Jaime replied excited.

"Fuck you too." Lucas replied good naturedly.

Jaime didn't mean what he said, he usually cracked jokes to lighten the mood. In the beginning his jokes were so raunchy and politically wrong that he didn't want to hang with him in public, but he had calmed down after a bit.

"Bitch ass hoe." Jaime said smirking.

"Can we go back to Jacksonville?" Lucas pleaded.

"Nope. My car, my rules." Jaime snickered at Lucas' dismay.

"When can we leave?" Lucas asked.

"Right after I bang Brooke…" Jaime responded and Lucas laughed. His best friend was really intent on seducing Brooke Davis.

"You're a dick."

"I have one, thank you." Jaime said smirking, before wrapping his arm around Lucas' neck.

"Dude you stink." Lucas commented, shoving Jaime away.

"Meh, I do gotta shower though. My balls must smell like salt and vinegar chips and we can't have that can we?" Jaime deadpanned.

Lucas fell over laughing and didn't get up for a while.

III

Haley James was about to prepare to hit the road when a text message stopped her in her tracks. Upon feeling the phone vibrate against her thigh, she pulled it out and looked to see who it was. It was Skills, her old friend from Tree Hill, and a surrogate uncle to Jaime, her son. Opening up the text message, she nearly dropped the phone when she saw it.

Hales, Luke is back in town. Brought some pothead for company. Don't know how long he'll be in town.

Skills

She had to fight the angry tears that threatened to rise from her eyes. Luke was back in town after a two year disappearance, the nerve of that bastard. She wasn't sure which Scott brother she hated more, Lucas or Nathan, but both of them pissed her off.

But then again, Nathan would be number one on her blacklist. Between his self righteous rage for Haley wanting to continue her career as a singer while he pursued his basketball dreams and played for the Chicago Bulls. That was some bullshit. Not to mention he hooked up with her older sister again when she saw him at a game against the Atlanta Hawks. She'd rub it in Nathan's face that Lucas had returned. Opening up a new message box, she began typing a short message for her ex husband.

Jackass, Lucas is back in Tree Hill. You should go see your prodigal brother's returned. You should go see him fuckface. When was the last time you saw your niece Sawyer?

Haley

Nathan didn't take long to reply.

Go kill yourself you miserable bitch. I couldn't give a shit if that bastard's back. Crawl up and die next to Chris Keller or whoever you're fucking nowadays.

Nathan

Yup, Nathan was her number one, but Lucas came in a close second. Punching in a number in the phone's pad, she quickly got a hold of tour director and asked him not to set her up with any tour dates for the upcoming weeks. She was gonna take a vacation after all.

IV

Fucking bitch…Nathan thought to himself as he finally sent his ex wife the reply message. Nathan tossed his phone carelessly to the side, and grabbed the Spalding basketball and continued warming up. He had a game tonight against the Los Angeles Lakers and he had one Kobe Bryant to show up in the Chi-town.

As he launched his jump shot, watching the ball arc in the air and go in with a swish, he didn't really know what to think of Lucas' reappearance. It had been two years since he had left, completely grief stricken over Keith and Karen's death. He hadn't blamed him for leaving to grieve, but he had held resentment for Lucas not coming back. It had been hard on them, winning the State Championship without him, and if there was one person he wanted to share that moment with, it would have been with Lucas and Whitey.

Whitey had retired after that Raven's season and had disappeared to Florida to life his miserable life alone.

"Hey sexy…" a voice called out, and Nathan's blue orbs swiveled to the source. It was the woman he lost his virginity to, and his ex- sister in law, Taylor Scott.

"Hn." Nathan grunted noncommittally.

Taylor swayed over to him, wrapping her arms around his neck, before pressing her lips to his. "Come on, let's get you sweaty for other reasons." Taylor beckoned, and Nathan complied, before fucking her in the middle of his private basketball court.

An hour later, he got rid of her, sending her on her way, seeing as he had other things to worry about.

He honestly thanked God he only had one more year left with the Bulls before he became a Free Agent. Despite his average of 32 points per game, the Bulls were still behind in the conference with a horrible record of 25-42. But as long as he could get his shine on, wipe the floor with Kobe tonight, he could get a better team after becoming a Free Agent. The Bulls had a week off next week, perhaps he could afford to see his older brother after all.

V

Jaime had decided to go take a nap while he went and crashed for a bit, high off his rocker and tired from the daunting drive from Florida. He had tossed Lucas his keys and told him to go have fun, passing out at the Tree Hill Inn.

Heeding his friend's advice, Lucas headed out into town, before parking in the downtown square and walking around taking all the sights back in. Stopping at a couple of shops to get something to eat and shopping for a few articles of clothing.

He saw a black SUV, a Chevy Tahoe pull over next to him and the man Lucas hadn't wanted to see stepped out, it was Dan Scott.

"Fuck me in the ass." Lucas grumbled under his breath.

"Luke, is that really you son?" Dan asked, concern marring his voice.

"That or you've stole Deb's prescriptions." Luke fired back, continuing to walk forward and ignoring his biological father.

"Wait, I want to talk to you." Dan called out, chasing after him.

Lucas came to a halt, rather than try to avoid his father. The man had connects after all. "What do you want Dan?" Lucas bit off as gracefully as his irritation would let him.

"Don't be that way. Would you like to grab a cup of coffee, son?" Dan asked.

"Will you leave me alone afterwards if I do?" Lucas asked, impatience getting the best of him.

Dan nodded and clasped his son on the shoulder before leading him to his late mother's café. Lucas figured Dan would have been egotistical and changed the name, but he hadn't. He had chosen to honor his mother in a way that Lucas hadn't in his cowardice. "You run the place now?" Lucas asked and Dan nodded stiffly.

"Yeah, I got a few girls as waitresses, but I basically do a lot of the other work. There was this family who moved to Tree Hill after losing it all due to Hurricane Katrina and we've been doing our best to take care of them." Dan replied.

"You doing charity work?" Lucas asked skeptically.

"Fair enough." Dan said nodding. "What have you been up to these last two years?" Dan asked mildly.

"Wrote a novel, got rich and nothing after that. Figured it was time to come home." Lucas added.

"So do you know about…" Dan was cut short by a mirthful interruption.

"Lucas Scott, the dick behind the legend." Lucas turned around to look into the prettiest green eyes he'd ever laid eyes on.

They belonged to only one girl.

"Peyton Sawyer, how have you been babe?" Lucas asked smirking. He deliberately checked her out, letting his gaze linger over her exposed legs.

She was so beautiful, in green camouflage shorts that came up to her mid thigh and a black tank top that hugged her curves beautifully, doing nothing to hide the soft curves of her breasts. Her hair was short, brushed back and against her neck, she was a goddess of a sight, the perpetual mirage in a desert.

"Hating you, you know the usual." Peyton spat out angrily. There was this fire to her, her bright green eyes alit with a flame he couldn't describe. Her lips curled into a full blown sneer as she regarded him with the disdain she'd regard for a cockroach.

"C'mon Peyt, we had fun didn't we?" Lucas inferred softly, remembering that night long ago. His breath caught in his throat, and he didn't know what to think or what to feel. He was being a dick and he knew it, but he couldn't let her see how she had affected him, she couldn't know that the night they slept together for the first time was so magical, it left him scarred for any woman who came after Peyton.

"We had a lot more than just fun, you dick." Peyton bit off, her eyebrows rising in contempt. "I'm guessing you don't know, lovely." She continued, sneering.

"Actually I was about to tell him." Dan cut in. "You two had a beautiful daughter together."

Lucas looked appalled for a second, his eyes wide and glassy in confusion. "Time out, let's try this again…"

"You and I had a daughter, Scott." Peyton replied waspishly.

"Why the hell didn't you tell me?" Lucas demanded, snarling as he stood up, ire burning in his eyes. "It was supposed to be just one night." Lucas said, running his fingers through his hair.

"You think I've forgotten, Lucas?" Peyton shrieked hysterically at him.

"You could have told me." Lucas shot back angrily.

"Just like you told me you were leaving, oh yeah you didn't." Peyton replied sarcastically, before turning around and walking away.

"Peyton, wait please." Lucas begged.

"Fuck you Lucas Scott." Peyton shot cruelly.

"You'd better go after her son, don't make the same mistake I did." Dan offered, before Lucas took chase after Peyton.

"Can I see her?" Lucas asked desperately.

"Absolutely not. You haven't been here for over two years Lucas. You can't just jump back into my life or Sawyer's life after how you left it." Peyton shot at him.

"You can't leave me hanging like this!!!" Lucas shouted after her.

"I can after all, I learned it from you." Peyton snapped, before heading off, anywhere away from Lucas, and when she disappeared around the corner, she let go and sobbed, spilling tears all over herself.

there's nowhere left to hide
in no one to confide
the truth runs deep inside
and will never die

lips are turning blue
a kiss that can't renew
I only dream of you
my beautiful

sing for absolution
I will be singing
falling from your grace

sing for absolution
I will be singing
falling from your grace

our wrongs remain unrectified
and our souls won't be exhume

A/N: No beta, so I'm doing my best with grammar and spelling. Sorry for the wait, I was in Puerto Rico getting drunk. The song Sing for Absolution is by an awesome band called Muse.