How excited are we for 601, kids? Very. Too bad the electricity in my area is off for the day for maintenance! Just thought i would take this excellent opportunity to beg the following authors for updates:
Skinarol (When All Are One and One Is All)
Coconut16 (Crescendo)
Lexlady (Journey)
Jewelianna (who isn't in the middle of anything right now, but whose work i love)
Anyways, sorry about that, on with the show!
"Hey, Luke!" Peyton called, lifting her head up from the book in her lap. "Are you listening?"
"Uh-huh," came his muffled response from their en-suite bathroom.
"Ok," she replied. "So, according to the book, these are the so-called side effects of pregnancy, you ready for this?"
Some unintelligible but vaguely affirmative noise came from the adjoining room, so Peyton proceeded.
"Abdominal achiness, increased appetite, backache, bloating, bloodshot eyes, breast tenderness," she recited in parrot fashion. "Clumsiness," she continued with a laugh, "constipation, swollen angles, feet and hands, dizziness, exhaustion, forgetfulness, food cravings, bleeding gums, hair loss," Peyton paused for breath. "Heartburn, indigestion, heightened sense of smell, insomnia, leg cramps, nausea, nasal congestion and nosebleeds, excessive saliva," she guffawed, "sweating, skin changes, shortness of breath, varicose veins and – get this – urinary incontinence!" she finished with a flourish.
Lucas popped his head around the door, his toothbrush still in his mouth and an incredulous expression on his face.
"I know!" Peyton exclaimed, in response to his unuttered disbelief. "I swear to God, Luke, if the doctor gave you a pill and said it was going to give you all that stuff at the same time, you wouldn't take it!"
Lucas just laughed and disappeared behind the doorframe again.
"I'm serious!" she called after him. "You'd hear all that and then you'd think, 'nah, not worth it!'"
Peyton flopped back onto her sea of pillows with a laugh, and seconds later her husband re-emerged, switching off the bathroom light and crawling into bed beside her.
"Well, you probably won't get half of those things, anyway" he said optimistically. "Some people just breeze through it."
"Yeah, well, so far so good," she replied with a soft smile.
Indeed, save a little morning sickness and tiredness, she had yet to experience any of the more severe ill effects of pregnancy.
"So," she turned towards him. "You think everyone was happy about our news tonight?"
"Eh," Lucas shrugged, feigning nonchalance but unable to conceal the smile twitching at his lips. "Kinda. I wouldn't say overjoyed or anything."
Peyton laughed, poking his side playfully. "That's exactly the word I'd use!" she replied.
He just grinned in response, like a man who had everything he could possibly want in life. Since Peyton had finally passed the twelve-week mark, they'd invited their inner circle over for dinner that night to share the news of their impending parenthood. It was just as well, because the pair were about ready to burst with an excitement they were not inclined to keep to themselves much longer.
Reactions varied but, as expecteded, were wholeheartedly positive from everyone concerned; Haley and Brooke raised the roof with their screams of delight, each calling first dibs on godmother and promising the delivery of pregnancy books and baby clothes – respectively – first thing tomorrow. Nathan, eternally laid back, preferred a more subdued offer of congratulations but genuine happiness shone in his face as he clapped his brother on the shoulder and hugged Peyton closely. Jamie and Lily, naturally exuberant children, were simultaneously thrilled and awed, stealing shy glances and their aunt's stomach, while little Bethany simply appeared totally nonplussed by all the fuss. As for Karen…
Lucas shook his head, laughing a little at the memory. "I thought my mom was never going to stop crying," he muttered. "I think she was starting to worry she would never have any grandkids!"
Peyton smiled widely. Since their marriage almost four years ago, she and her husband had been subject to periodic prodding on the issue of children from a myriad of sources. Karen, in the most light-hearted way possible, had certainly been leading the pack.
"I'm glad we waited, though," Peyton commented. "Are you?"
"Yeah," Lucas nodded confidently. They had been not quite twenty-three when they married - young by modern standards - and more keen to advance their careers, travel and just have fun together than to rush into parenthood.
"It's been nice having you to myself for a while," he continued, pulling her into him and pressing a kiss to her head. "But I think we're ready now. This feels right, doesn't it?"
Peyton turned her head to face him, smiling that shy smile she often wore these days when it seemed that, after more than her fair share of tragedy, she couldn't quite believe her good luck. She bit her bottom lip and nodded slowly, looking into his eyes.
"It's perfect," she admitted.
And so what could he do but kiss her? Gentle but assured, sweet but sexy, he kissed her breathless, in fact. She could taste his toothpaste on her tongue, and the thought occurred to Peyton that if only she didn't need oxygen to live, she could be quite happy doing this forever. As it was, they broke apart, enveloped by pillows and each other, smiling like idiots.
"Ok," Peyton began eventually, as Lucas manoeuvred himself almost flush against her, lying on his side, his head supported by his hand. "Look at that," she instructed him, lifting the hem of the oversized Ramones tshirt she slept in and pointing to her stomach. "That's definitely bigger, right?"
As he had done every night for several weeks now, Lucas turned to regard the creamy expanse of his wife's stomach. "It definitely is," he replied after careful analysis, aware that this was the only time such a response was ever likely to be acceptable.
Absolutely no-one had guessed of her pregnancy before the big reveal – she hadn't had to change her lifestyle much at all and Peyton still wore all her clothes comfortably. Already though, her body was beginning to change – subtle signs visible only to herself, and Lucas, intimately acquainted as he was to her every freckle and curve. A new weight to her breasts and a small but very real roundedness to her stomach which was, for reasons unbeknownst to them, always more pronounced at night.
Lucas placed his hand on the small bump. "According to the book, right now the baby is like two and a half inches," he informed her.
"Really?" Peyton replied with a smile. She had embraced What To Expect When You're Expecting as though it were presented by God himself as a second bible, but she still found it adorable that Luke had been doing his homework too. "So, what's that, like, the size of an apple?"
"Yep. Or what else? A cell phone," he suggested.
"Or… I don't know," Peyton smiled. "I can't think of anything else."
Silence, as he traced lazy circles across her skin.
"It's pretty incredible, huh?" Lucas said, after a beat. "I mean, I know women probably get pregnant every second of every day, but right now I feel like no one in the history of the world has ever had a baby before – ever."
"Well," she answered, her voice soft and contemplative, "no one have ever had this baby before."
She placed her hand on top of his on her midriff. "No one has ever had your baby before."
Peyton wondered if he knew how special that simple fact made her feel. She guessed maybe he did, and maybe he felt some of it too, because soon enough, his lips were on her stomach, his fingers splayed across her thigh for balance.
Lucas kissed every part of her he could reach, light, open-mouthed kisses followed by a swathe of his tongue. His free hand unconsciously caressed her skin, addicted to such warmth and unblemished softness – always perfection in his eyes, but now hiding a new, secret preciousness. Hungrily, he slid her tshirt further up, revealing the tender fullness of her breasts and began the sweet task of working his way up with butterfly touches.
Peyton moaned quietly, wanting more. "That feels so good, baby," she half whispered, reaching down to pull her shirt all the way off.
Gentleman that he was, Lucas Scott was always only too happy to help his wife out of any and all clothing, and tugged the material over her head. "God, I love you so much Peyton," he said fiercely, kissing her on the mouth. "You're the only person I could ever imagine doing this with."
Peyton tilted her face up to his again, their chins touching. She wasn't sure if he meant making love or making a baby. She really didn't care.
"Me too," she whispered intensely, pulling his lips roughly to her own, reaching behind her to turn out the light.
So, did i mention my viewing of the season premiere is likely to be delayed as i have no elecricity?! Maybe you feel bad enough for me to leave me a review... :P