I hope everyone is enjoying the story!
I don't own OTH!
The last few days before the reunion Peyton just followed the Davis-Baker family as they did things. She kept out of Tric, trying to stay away from Lucas as much as possible. Lindsey would be over at Haley's when they would get there or come to lunch with them but Lucas was never with her. And for that she was thankful. She was also thankful that he married such a nice and funny woman.
It's the morning of the reunion and Peyton is in the kitchen making breakfast for the family staying with her. Brooke walks in with Elizabeth on her hip, "Mmm.. Pancakes? P. Sawyer when did you become a cook?" Brooke grabs a cup of coffee, handing the baby to Peyton as she walks away. "You know when you live alone and get tired of take-out you gotta learn somehow, huh, Eli?" She says as she bounces the baby on her hip.
"Are you coming to the lunch before the reunion?" She asks, knowing it's mostly the married couples and families. Peyton shrugs at the stove, flipping a pancake. "I don't know… I'd probably be the only single one there." She says and she puts the plate with a tower of pancakes on the table as Julian brings the twins down.
"Peyton, come on… You have to come." Brooke says as the boys start chowing down. "Come where?" Julian asks with a full mouth. "To the lunch FOR families and couples." Peyton says as she puts more pancakes on the table before sitting down with the baby.
"Brooke, if she doesn't want to come she doesn-" His wife stops him by gasping. "Don't give her that idea!" Brooke gasps as she walks around the kitchen, handing the heated-up bottle to Peyton.
"I can't go. I'll be the sad, single, pathetic Peyton." She frowns at the twins as they laugh. "We don't think you're pathetic, Aunt Peyton!" Jude yells. "Yeah, you're the best!" Davis seconds as Peyton laughs. "Thanks boys.. But I can't go see everyone from high school with their families and kids… I'll go to Tric a few hours early and help set up." Peyton smiles as Brooke rolls her eyes. "Yeah, I think I'll come help set up too." Julian jokes as the two of them laugh. "So, you're really not going, huh?" Brooke asks her best friend. Peyton nods. "I'm not putting myself through that… I just can't." Julian and the twins thank Peyton for breakfast.
Brooke and Peyton start to clean up the kitchen. "Is this about what happened between you and Lucas a week ago?" Brooke asks her best friend who is sitting at the table with the little baby, making her laugh. "No, it's not about that." She says, looking up at Brooke. "I have some work I have to get done." She tells the truth. "I haven't done anything for work since I got here." She stands up, handing the brunette the baby as she goes upstairs to get ready. Peyton gets in the shower and puts on some sweatpants and a tank top.
She sits on the front porch, lounging on her top step with her laptop on her lap. She has some demos playing and headphones in as a car pulls up on the road in front of her street. Her focus on the laptop she doesn't noticed the blonde married woman walking up to her until she sees some black pumps. She looks up, seeing Lindsey with a huge smile on her face.
Peyton pulls one headphone out of her ear. "Brooke and Julian already left." She says as Lindsey laughs. "No, I thought you were coming to the lunch before the reunion." She says, walking closer to the brunette sitting on her front steps.
"No, I have some work to catch up on." She says, looking for anyone to save her from this conversation.
"And because it's for couples, right? I mean, nobody there is going to be single.." Peyton shrugs in response to Lindsey comment. She shuts her laptop as she stands up. "You guys should get going… I'll see you tonight."
"Why did you come back for the reunion?" Lindsey asks with Peyton's back to her. "To get Lucas back?" She asks, making Peyton turn quickly. "I thought that'd get your attention." She walks up the steps. "It must have been horrible to come back and see your high school sweetheart was married and happy."
Peyton looks up at the blonde, "Why are you here?" She asks. "Lucas is waiting for you in the car, don't want him to wait too long." She says. "You should get going so you can laugh and laugh about how lonely I am, even though, I'm not the one in a loveless marriage." She turns around, gasping as Lindsey grabs her arm, making her turn around.
She hears the car door open as she looks at her husband. "One minute, Luke!" She yells to him as he watches them over the car. "You're so pathetic that you're making things up to feel better about being alone all the way across the country." She says, making Peyton shrug.
Lindsey groans as she turns around, walking back to the car. "I'll see you at the reunion tonight, Lindsey!" Peyton yells at her, waving with a smile on her face. Going into her house. Peyton gets ready about two hours before the reunion at Tric is supposed to start, she curls her hair some, just adding to her natural curls, puts on some natural makeup and lip gloss on. She puts on a black long crop top with open shoulders and a pair of white skinny jeans with rips in them and a pair of black wedges.
It's an hour before it starts when she pulls up to Tric, walking in with just a few people in there already, 'the other single ones' she thinks to herself. She takes a seat at the bar, ordering a vodka tonic as the bartender comes back with her drink. "Man, I wasn't expecting anyone to start drinking already." He jokes, making Peyton laugh. "With what I'm about to go through, I need a few drinks beforehand." She sighs as the bartender leans against the bar. "No man with you tonight?" She laughs, shaking her head. "It's hard to start a relationship with someone when you work almost 90 hours a week and are still hung up on your ex." She adds at the end, taking a long drink from her cup.
She sits at the bar alone for a few more drinks until she sees the infamous Scott brothers walk in without their wives. Peyton's focus goes back to her cup quickly, hoping they don't pay attention to her. They both order a beer before grabbing the biggest table.
"So, have you talked to Peyton since you went to her house last week?" Nathan asks his brother before taking a drink from the bottle. Lucas shakes his head. "I don't know what to say to her." He sighs, looking over at the lonely woman at the bar. "Lindsey made me stop at her house on the way to lunch and she talked to her… I dunno how it went, though." He keeps his gaze on his ex-girlfriend. "Can you imagine how lonely she has to be? Haley said Brooke told her that she sleeps with a bunch of different guys now… She can't sleep alone." That catches Lucas's attention. "She sleeps around? That's not Peyton, at all." He says, shaking his head. "Her life shouldn't be like this.. She's throwing herself into her work and alcohol." Lucas gets up, ignoring Nathan as he asks what he's doing over and over again as he walks to the bar. "Peyton." She hears that voice, sending a shiver down her spine. "Luke, I don't think it's a good idea to talk." She say without turning around.
He sits on the barstool beside her, "Please." He whispers as she turns her head to look at him. "Lindsey doesn't want you talking to the lonely, pathetic Peyton Sawyer." She says, finishing her drink as she pushes away from her. "Another?" The bartender asks her. "No." Lucas answers for her. She looks at him, sighing. "What do you need me to say or what do you want me to say to make you realize I'm lonely and can't change… I'll take another one." She says turning to the bartender.
"You weren't supposed to end up like this!" He says angrily as she looks up at him. "Like what? I'm 28 and successful… I make six figures a year." She shrugs as he groans, looking at her. "That's not what I mean. You should be married and have a family… That's how I was hoping you'd be when you came back for the reunion." He says, making her laugh.
"Listen, you left a hole in my heart that no other man can fill." She stands up, looking at Lucas. "I need some fresh air." She quickly walks out to the balcony, watching the sunset as she sighs, leaning against the railing. Breathing in the fresh air that she had missed so much in L.A. She hears footsteps behind her, but ignores them. "Hey Peyton." She hears a familiar voice, turning around and smiling as she sees Nathan standing there, smiling. "Nate… Hey." She whispers. Reaching out as she sees him walking towards her. He wraps her in a huge hug. She sighs, feeling safe. "It's so good to see you." She says softly, pulling back as she looks up at him. "You look great… Sad, but great." He smiles sadly at her, making her nod.
"So I've heard." She crosses her arms, sighing. "Everyone is so obsessed that I'm single, not that I'm successful…. And… Happy." She fakes a smile as Nathan shakes his head. "You're not happy, talk to me." Peyton sighs as he says that, nodding.
"It's not the same in L.A." She says simply, making him look at her. "I miss this… I miss this town." She says. "Nobody out there is worth the time it seems like.. I mean there's no Tric or river court… Or you." I wink at him, making him laugh.
"I think you have the wrong Scott brother." He says as she sighs. "Lucas still loves you… You're fucking Peyton Sawyer.. He wrote a WHOLE book on you." He says as Peyton looks at the cars pulling up. "Well… People are starting to show up, I need to find my place at the bar." She changes the subject, squeezing Nathans arm as she walks back into the bar, seeing Lucas meeting his wife at the door. Peyton sits at the bar as everyone goes back to the bar, calling the bartender over and getting a drink and three glasses of white wine.
"Here we go." She says. "Wish me luck." She winks at the bartender before getting up with the drinks and walking over to the table. "Wine anyone?" Peyton puts wine glasses in front of all the women, flashing a big smile at Lindsey before sitting beside Brooke.
"Tell us about your work, Peyton." Haley says as Peyton has her focus on her drink, looking up as she shrugs.
"I listen to new demos, sign new bands, I've gone on tour a few times, but I'm getting too old for that." She laughs as everyone shakes their heads, smiling.
"That's your career?" Peyton hears a voice ask as she nods, "I love my job." Making the voice laugh.
"Lindsey, please." Lucas pleads with his wife as Peyton runs her hands through her hair, finishing her drink as she leans back, crossing her arms in front of her as she prepares herself.
"Lucas, it just doesn't seem like much of a career… Anyone could do it. Especially the artists they sign at the label you're working at… But, I'm sure you haven't signed them, right?" Lindsey raises her eyebrows, looking at Peyton who's sitting across the table.
Peyton holds strong even though she hates when she people critic her artists. "I'm proud of my work." She says, keeping her eyes on the vicious blonde across the table.
"Well, you have to be since it's the only thing you have in your life." She laughs. "Of course you have 'friends' you see every once in a while, but do you really think they still trust you like they did in high school?" She shakes her head as she laughs. "No, there was no reason for you to come back to this town. You've ruined all your relationships here."
"Lindsey!" Everyone says at the same time to her as she smiles across the table from the brunette. Peyton stands up. "I need another drink." Peyton says before walking to the bar, sitting at the barstool as the bartender comes over. "Another?" He asks.
Peyton shakes her head. Her eyes shut as tears build up. This is what she was afraid of. "I've lost everyone." She says to the concerned bartender as he leans against the bar, talking to her.
"I cannot believe you, Lindsey!" Brooke says as she shakes her head. "You had no right."
"She's right. You don't know her or her life." Haley adds.
"Lindsey, I thought we talked about this." Lucas looks at his wife. "I don't even recognize you tonight." He says as he stands up.
She grabs her husband's arm. "She brings the worst out in me." She pleads with her husband, she knows he's going to take her side.
"I need a drink." He says, pulling away from his wife as he walks to the bar, standing beside his old love interest. "Jack and coke." Lucas tells the bartender as he nods. "I'm sorry about Lindsey."
Peyton shrugs, looking at the glass of water in front of her. "She's right. I'm not doing anything with my life in L.A."
"What do you want to do then?" Lucas asks her as she leans her head back, her eyes shut.
"We shouldn't be talking." She stands up. "It was a bad idea to come back." She pays her bill and for Lucas's drink before walking out of Tric. Lucas watches her walk out the door before quickly following, knowing Lindsey was focused on the friends around her.
"Peyton… Please, talk to me." He says as she gets to the bottom of the stairs, looking up at the blonde she loves. He runs down the stairs quickly. "Please… I miss you." He whispers as he holds the sides of her arms.
"Lindsey won't be happy if you're out here with me." She says, making him shrug.
"Let me take you home." He says as she hands him her keys hesitantly before walking to the car with him. She gets in, taking her heels off before pulling her legs up. "Talk to me." He says as he drives.
"Let's go get milkshakes." She says softly, that was there usual weekend plans when they were together. Lucas smiles as he nods, turning towards the ice cream parlor.
They pull up as they get out, walking in after the car's parked. They sit at a table in the parlor filled with high school students. They order shakes as Peyton looks around.
"Can you believe this used to be us?" He says as she looks at him, nodding with a smile.
"I can… I missed this place." She says softly as he looks at her. "Talk to me." She hears come from his lips as she sighs.
"About what?" She asks, tilting her head to the side. "Why I'm not happy?" She shrugs
"No… About what you want to do… You said you're not happy at work."
She puts her elbows on the table as she looks at him, her chin resting on her hands. "I want to open my own label… I've been saving up." She shrugs. "It's stupid, I know."
"It's not stupid, Peyton… I think it's a great idea." He says, smiling at her as she smiles big.
"You think so?" She asks as she takes a big spoonful of ice cream, eating it.
He laughs at her childlike ways as he nods. "Absolutely… Listen, my mom has a back room at Tric… It's yours if you move back." She chokes almost as she looks at him.
"Really? Come back to a town that I left ten years ago?" She asks as he nods.
"Everyone would love to have you back." He looks at her
"Except Lindsey." She looks at him, "Your wife, ya know?"
"I can talk to Lindsey… Come on… I need you… Here." He finishes as she bites her lip, then nods. "I was thinking about coming back" She states as he gasps, smiling huge.
"Peyton Sawyer, you really know how to make a man happy." He says as she laughs.
They sit at the parlor until it's about to close, leaving and driving to Peyton's house where there is still no one there. "Do you maybe want to come in for a bit?" She asks as she climbs out of the car. He smiles and nods, following her into the house, shutting the door behind him. They sit on the couch with a drink for each of them. "So, the book." She says as he looks at her.
"I didn't expect it at all." He says softly as she nods. "It was a bad idea, I know."
"It wasn't a bad idea, Peyt." He says, making her look up.
"Can I ask you something? And I'll probably regret it after but, I need to get it off my chest." She says, biting her bottom lip as he nods. "Do… You still love me… At all?" She asks, looking down at the fabric on the couch, not wanting to look at him.
"More than you even know." He answers honestly. "But, Lindsey… I'm married to her." She looks up at him, a tear in her eye as she nods.
"It was stupid to even ask." She says softly as she gets up, taking her glass into the kitchen, Lucas follows behind her.
"Peyton." He whispers as she turns around at the kitchen sink.
"You should probably leave, Luke." She says, looking at him as he walks towards her.
"Please, please tell me you're still planning on moving back." He stands less than a foot away from her, his eyes looking down into hers as she nods slowly.
"I need to come back to Tree Hill." She whispers, looking in his beautiful blue eyes. His hands rests on her hips. "We shouldn't be doing this." Her hands on his chest, pulling his shirt as she pulls him to her, their lips finally touching, both feeling the same spark that they had years before. Her arms wrap around his neck, his hand resting on her lower back as they are both intoxicated by the kiss, not hearing the front door open as her best friend walks in with her family, her husband takes the sleeping twins up to the bedroom as Brooke walks into the dark kitchen to get Elizabeth a bottle turning on the lights as she gasps, seeing the two pull away from each other. "I should go… I'll see you guys." Lucas says as he quickly walks out the front door.
