Chapter Six.

'Hey' He greets sheepishly.

'Hi' She doesn't look at him. Focuses on her son.

'He's good'

'Of course he is. He takes after his Daddy' Peyton murmurs. She's nervous. She wants him to be especially good tonight. Wants him to impress his team mates. She's sure it'll help him settle in better. She feels guilty, guilty for putting him through this great big change in his last year. She remembers how tough being his age was without changing schools.

'Luke's forgotten he quit coaching huh? I'm surprised the actual coach hasn't knocked him out yet'

'I'm sure Ollie will in a minute' She catches her teenager glowering at his father's interfering at that particular moment. Oliver's eyes soon seek her out. He gives her an exasperated look at which she shrugs helplessly. She knows it's too early to get involved. She knows her husband can't help himself, knows she needs to give him another ten minutes before she drags him away from the court sidelines and back to his place with the rest of the parents.

'Where's Sawyer? I was hoping to see her'

'Down there. She's found a friend' She points out the eight year old that's knelt on the side of the court with a boy of a similar height.

'...Peyton about...' He sighs. Watches her return her attention to the game. 'I was so drunk and outta line. I'm sorry'

She snorts. 'Just a tad' She wraps her arms tight around herself. Wills Oliver to get this shot. It misses.

'I just...it was the drink'

'Do you think being intoxicated is a valid excuse? If you can't make half sane choices whilst under the influence then you need to make the decision to stop'

'I...I know. I'm trying'

'Try harder'

He nods. '...I will...Thank you...for not telling him'

She's irritated in all of a heartbeat. Irritated that he's come here tonight. Irritated that he's chosen this moment to talk to her because she's meant to be concentrating on Oliver's game. Irritated that he thinks she's done him a favour. 'I didn't do it for you' She spouts. 'I don't think you realise what Luke is like when it comes to me and anyone but him touching me'

He rubs the back of his neck. She's wrong. He's seen his brother loose his temper in the past. There'd been a couple of incidents when they'd been especially younger that he'd witnessed his brother's fists pummel into anyone that tried it on with the blonde beside him. As he'd gotten older Lucas had learnt to control his temper but Nathan didn't doubt that if pushed he'd quite easily loose it. Peyton had been the one to curb his anger issues but she was also his world and if anyone dared to touch his world there would be trouble Nathan was sure. 'I've got an idea'

'Well you'll be wise to keep your fucking hands to yourself then won't you?'

'Are you going to hate me forever?'

'I don't hate you. I hate that you've made me have this thing that I'm keeping from Luke. I hate that you put me in this position and now I feel fucking awkward...I want us to be friends Nate. I want my kids to have a relationship with you'

'I want that too'

She looks at him then. 'Luke is gonna be really pleased you're here. Go and make a fuss of your niece and show him you're the man he's sure you can be. I gotta go try and distract him before Ollie looses the plot' She walks down the bleachers with him. They reach the bottom and he points in Sawyer's direction.

'I'll catch up with you guys in a bit?'

'Uhuh' She nods curtly. Watches him take a few steps. 'Nate?'

He looks back at her over his shoulder. 'It's Sawyer's ninth birthday next weekend. You'll come?'

He smiles. 'Of course'

'The invitation isn't extended to Dan'

'Oh I know'

She turns abruptly and he watches her approach her husband. Watches her block Lucas' view of the court. Wonders what she says that has him sulkily taking his wife's hand and letting her lead back to his place in the audience, not the sidelines. Watches her sit him down on the bench and perch on his lap so he's not tempted to disappear again and "help" the coach with his job. Her eyes briefly skitter back to him but her stare doesn't linger and he's quick to do as she instructed and find his niece. To start being the Uncle she deserves.

•••

She stares at the mirror behind the woman. 'Is someone watching us?'

The woman who has spent the last five minutes setting up some dolls on the table before them glances behind them. 'What makes you say that Sawyer?'

'They have pretend mirrors sometimes at police stations. My brother watches a lot of cop shows'

'We're not at a police station though Sweetie'

'But you are with the police. Mummy said so'

'Sort of. I just help them out every now and then... I just wanted to have a chat with you. Is that ok?' Sawyer's shoulders rise and fall then. 'Would you like to come and sit down?'

She doesn't. She doesn't want to be here. Doesn't understand why they had to come here at all. She hesitantly stalks over to the table and sinks onto the rainbow painted stool.

'Where's Mum?'

'Your Mum is just outside where we left her. She's not going anywhere without you sweetie. Do you know what I wanted to have a chat to you about?'

'My Dad is in prison. You think he killed my Uncle Nate' Her glare is powerful. 'But he didn't'

'I don't think anything. I'm just trying to find out the truth Sweetie'

'Well the truth is my Dad would never do that' She crosses her arms. 'My Dad would do anything for Uncle Nate'

'Yeah? They got on well then?'

'They're brothers. They argue sometimes but so do me and my brother. We always make up and so do they'

'You heard those arguments sometimes then huh?' She shrugs her shoulders again. 'Can you remember that day when you all went round your Grandad Dan's house Sawyer?'

'Daddy doesn't like me to call him that'

'No?'

'No. My Grandad is Keith. He looked after my Dad growing up. Not Dan'

'I see. So do you remember what night I'm talking about?'

'I remember...Dan wasn't there. Uncle Nate lived with Dan. That's why we were there'

'I see. Who was there?'

'Mum, Dad, Nana and Grandad and Uncle Nate'

'Can you tell me what happened that evening?'

'Everyone argued'

'Do you know what they were arguing about?'

'Uncle Nate had spent lots of money that they'd lent him. Everyone screamed at each other and then Nan and Grandad left and Dad did too'

'Mummy didn't?'

'Daddy thought we should wait there while he went to talk to Nana and Grandad'

'With Uncle Nate?'

'Yeah'

'What did you do whilst you waited?'

'I watched a film'

'Yeah? What film?'

'Inside out. It's my favourite'

'I like that one too. Who is your favourite character?' Sawyer looks down. Is smart. Knows this women is trying to be her friend. She doesn't want to be her friend. 'Mine is Joy'

'Anger' Sawyer sternly retorts.

The women swallows. 'Are you angry honey?'

'Yes. My Dad is in prison. I miss him'

'I know. I'm sorry sweetie' She shifts some paper in front of her then and a pot of pencils. 'You want to colour?'

'I'm not five' She pushes the pot back across the table.

'I heard you're quite the budding artist'

'I draw with my Mum'

'Yeah? Is she good?'

'She can draw anything'

'Wow. That's pretty cool. Did Mummy watch Inside Out with you?' Sawyer shakes her head. 'What was she doing?'

'Talking to Uncle Nate'

'In a different room?'

'Yes. In Dan's study for a bit'

'Could you hear them?'

'Yes. The study is next door to the lounge'

'What were they talking about?'

'I don't know. Mummy was angry'

'Yeah?'

'They'd given him money that I think was meant to be for me and Ollie. I don't know why they gave it him'

'When did you next see Mummy?'

'She went outside with Uncle Nate'

'Outside? What were they doing out there?'

'Smoking'

'Mummy smokes?'

'Sometimes. Dad gets mad with her when she does. She doesn't think I know but I do. She smells different after'

'I see. Did they come back inside?'

'Yes. I was tired so Mum took me upstairs and I went to sleep in the spare room'

'You went to sleep?'

'For a bit. I don't like Dan's house. It's creepy. I wanted to go home'

'So you went to find Mummy when you wanted to go home?'

'Uhuh'

'Where did you find her?'

'The kitchen'

'Was she by herself?'

'Uhuh'

'How was she?'

'...She yelled at me'

'Yeah? Why did she yell?'

'I...don't know...She was...sad...she was crying'

'She was?'

Sawyer pulls the pot of pencils back in front of her then. Pulls out a black and begins to scrawl her name. 'Do you know my name is actually my Mum's name?'

'It is?'

'Her name was Peyton Sawyer before she married Dad. Dad came up with it. He wanted me to be the both of them. Sawyer Scott'

'That's pretty cool'

'Mum never use to cry... She cries a lot now...she said she was just sad that everyone was arguing but...' Her shoulders shrug. 'She'd not been that upset before I went upstairs' She ponders. 'Why am I here? We're not talking about the day Uncle Nate was killed. We're not talking about Daddy. We're talking about some other day'

'I know it's confusing. I'm just trying to clear up a few things. So after you came downstairs and you found your Mum upset what happened then?'

'We went home. I wanted to call Dad but Mum said he needed to be with Nana and Grandad' She presses her pencil down hard. The led snaps. She shoves it away with a huff. 'Do you think Dad will come home before my little sister gets here?'

'I'm not sure sweetie...Did you get on with your Uncle Nate?'

'I guess. I'd not really seen him much till this year. He got me a water pistol for my birthday'

'That's pretty cool'

'Yeah. Ollie broke it the other week though' She exhales heavily. 'He said I can't have it anymore'

'Why do you think he said that?'

'I dunno. Mummy says he's just upset cause Dad isn't at home. That's why he's staying with Nana and Grandad. He doesn't like being at home without Dad there'

'I see...Did Mummy get on well with Uncle Nate Sawyer?'

'I guess'

'Did Mummy and Uncle Nate ever touch?'

'Touch?' Her brow furrows.

'When you and me met we shook hands huh?' Sawyer watches the woman as she demonstrates with two dolls. Looks at her like she's lost the plot. 'You'd probably hug a friend or perhaps a hug and a kiss someone you know real well huh?' She continues to mimic said actions with her figures. 'How would Mummy say hello to Uncle Nate?'

'I guess hug'

'Hug' She bends the dolls arms and Sawyer rolls her eyes.

'I know what hugging is thanks'

The woman quickly puts her little models down. Realises her efforts are only irritating the child before her. 'Right. Of course you do I just...so Mummy and Nate hugged?'

'Mum hugs everyone'

'How about kissing?'

Sawyer's nose scrunches up then. She's not stupid. She knows exactly what she's being asked 'On the lips?'

'Yes'

'No he's my Uncle' She's confused by these questions.

'Yes but sometimes Mummy's and Daddy's kiss other people'

'Mine don't. Mum only kisses Dad'

'Yeah?'

'Yeah. And it's gross. They do it all the time...' She glares across the table. 'I know what affairs are'

'You do?'

'I'm not a baby. My friend Lucy's Dad had an affair. Her parents are split up now'

'That can be scary can't it? Sometimes we lie just to try and keep our family together-'

'I'm not lying' She scowls. 'Mum only kisses Dad. She would never kiss Uncle Nate. That's gross. She loves Dad and he loves her. Mummy will only ever be in love with Daddy'

'I'm sure they do love each other Sawyer' The woman nods, thinks her expression is sympathetic. It's not. It's patronising. 'Did Mummy spend time with Uncle Nate by herself though?'

'No!'

'But they did that night? That night when you were upstairs in bed'

'I...I don't know'

'I see'

'Stop saying I see! I want to see my Mum now'

'It's ok sweetie. I just have a couple more question-'

'No! Now' She doesn't like this room. She doesn't like all the toys. It's all a trick. A trick to make her say things and she doesn't want to say the wrong things. She doesn't know what the right things to say are though and her fear suddenly has her frantic to see her Mother. 'Mum!' She shrieks loudly. Her voice is the polar opposite to the subdued hum the woman before her has been confronted with during the last twenty minutes.

Peyton all but flies through the door a second later. 'I'm here. I'm here' Sawyer catapults herself across the room. 'What did you say to her?' Peyton bleats.

'We were just covering all the questions we ran by you Mrs Scott. I'm not quite done-'

'Yes you are! What did you say to her?'

'I wanna go home' Sawyer begs, wide eyes looking up at her pleadingly.

'We are. We are' Peyton grabs her daughters hand and all but marches her out of the room. Ignores the people on the other side of the door that beckon her over to talk and reschedule this meeting. She's done. She'd not wanted this in the first place, had been more than vocal on the matter. Had demanded she know the exact questions that would be asked but given her daughters distress she's not convinced their agreement had been met.

'Are-are we gonna get in trouble?'

'No-'

'They seemed mad Mum'

'Well screw them' Peyton opens the car door for the nine year old. 'Sorry. I'm just mad baby. You ok?'

Sawyer nods nervously as she gets into the car. 'I just want to go home'

'We are' Peyton shuts the door and goes round to the drivers side. 'What did she ask you?' She'd thought she'd be able to control herself and wait until they're back home but they've barely made it down the road when she's probing the child for information.

'She was asking me questions about you and Uncle Nate'

Peyton licks her lips. 'Yeah? What sorta questions?'

'Just stuff'

'Stuff' Peyton repeats. 'You don't wanna talk about it? You seemed pretty upset in there'

Sawyer stares out the window for a long minute. '...Were you having an affair with Uncle Nate Mum?'

Peyton's eyes skitter away from the road for a brief moment. Sawyer's gaze stays fixed straight ahead.

'What?'

'They asked me what happened that night that Daddy and Keith and Uncle Nate argued'

Peyton licks her lip before hastily making the decision to pull the car over because she's finding it impossible to be safe right now and keep her eyes on the road. She doesn't speak again until the hand break is safely on. 'What did you say?'

'I told them you were upset'

'Upset' Peyton's head bobs. 'Nothing else?'

Sawyer becomes nervous then. 'I said you were in Dan's study with Uncle Nate. I said that you went outside and...smoked with him'

Peyton's eyes widen then. 'I...'

'Daddy doesn't like it when you do that'

She gulps because she'd had no clue her daughter had witnessed that and it only makes the knots in her belly tighten because she wonders if there's other things she saw that night 'No. He doesn't. I'm sorry baby I, you shouldn't have seen me doing that. It's an awful thing to do. It's so stupid. Daddy is right to not want me to do that'

'I know he is. It's not good for you. You know you can get cancer from smoking?' She whispers.

'Right...I...I hardly ever do it though baby and I, I won't do it again'

'You always say that to Daddy'

Peyton blinks. Realises that her baby isn't so much a baby anymore. She can't be fooled. 'I can't do it anyway baby. Even if I wanted to. I wouldn't do that when I'm pregnant' She hastily steers the conversation back on topic. 'So...you, what else did you say?'

'That you yelled at me' Peyton's face crumples and she pinches the bridge of her nose. 'You told me to tell the truth. You did yell at me'

'Yes, I, I know. It's okay'

'Did I say the wrong thing?'

'No baby. No you did great'

'You keep calling me baby'

'Sorry. You don't like that?'

'You only do it when you're being sappy or you're scared' Peyton squints at her. Pauses for a moment. Wonders if her child's observation is accurate. 'You're not being sappy so you're scared'

'I'm not scared'

'Why did she ask me all those questions?'

'She, she was just doing her job. Sometimes people lie and to make sure people are telling the truth they try to ask as many people's versions of events as possible'

'They think you're lying?'

'No. No'

'Well why were they asking about that night?'

'I don't know'

Sawyer frowns. Knows she's being lied to. 'I'm not a baby. I heard Daddy yelling at you'

Peyton blinks. 'What?'

'He was mad at you'

'When? About what?'

'He said bad things'

Peyton gulps. 'I'm sorry you heard us arguing. It doesn't mean anything. Your Dad didn't mean anything he said. Nor did I' She's got an idea of what argument her daughter is referring to.

'He called you a...a bitch' Peyton closes her eyes. Grimaces.

'He didn't mean that he, he was so upset Sawyer. That doesn't mean it's okay but he was so confused and frustrated with me' She tries to explain away his behaviour. 'Daddy knows me better than anyone in the whole world and he, he knew I was keeping something from him. I know Daddy better than anyone in the whole world too and I know he only said that because he was heartbroken. People say things in the heat of the moment that they don't mean. He didn't mean it'

Sawyer blinks. 'Were you having an affair with Uncle Nate?'

'No. No' She sternly expels.

'What were you keeping from Daddy then?'

Peyton flounders for a moment. 'That's between me and him honey. It, it's grown up stuff and well, Daddy knows everything now'

'That lady was talking like you were having an affair'

She blinks. Doesn't like her daughter's suspicious stare. 'Look at me' She grabs Sawyer's face. 'I love Daddy. I'll only ever be in love with Daddy. Okay?! There will never, ever be anyone else for me. Is that clear?'

'That's what I told her'

'Yeah?' Peyton smiles, her eyes watery. She drops a kiss to her daughter's forehead before sitting back in her seat.

'What's wrong?'

'Nothing, nothing'

'You're crying'

'I just...I, I wish you didn't have to do that today baby- I didn't have a choice'

'It's ok'

'No. It's not. You're just a kid'

'I'm not a baby anymore Mum. I can handle it'

Peyton smiles sadly. 'No. You're not a baby' She agrees.

'...Did... Dad kill Uncle Nate?' Peyton inhales sharply. 'If he didn't why is he in prison? Why are you and Ollie fighting really? Why are you mad at Nana and Grandad? Why aren't I allowed to talk to Dan?' Peyton wonders when the nine year old became quite so observant. Wonders how many snippets of conversations she's heard in recent weeks. Wonders what impact this is all having on her.

'Daddy didn't do anything wrong' She whispers. 'Please don't doubt that'

'But why do they think he did?!'

'I...I don't know honey'

'I don't understand! Why would anyone hurt Uncle Nate?...Mum?'

'...Nathan had a lot of problems'

'With money'

'Yes. And other things'

'What things?'

'Just...just things'

'I heard Dan say it was your fault'

'What?'

'To Ollie'

'What? When?'

'The other night. Ollie likes sitting in his car outside our house'

'What?'

'I told him he should come in but he says he likes pretending he's a cop' She shrugs her shoulders. 'Was it your fault? That Uncle Nate got killed? Did you do it?'

'No baby'

'Why would Dan say it's your fault?'

'He's angry and confused...I know you're angry and confused too baby. I...I wish I could make this all better. I, I'm sorry'

'...Daddy is coming home right? He will be back for when the baby comes right?'

Peyton looks into her innocent little face. Wishes she was a few years younger and she could distract her with ice cream and white lies. Her hair is in a french braid and her face suddenly doesn't look quite as round as it once had when her hair was scraped back. She's loosing that baby fat. She's growing up and she's got questions. Billions of questions that Peyton doesn't want to answer because answering is being honest and she can't handle the truth. '...I don't know Sawyer. I hope so but I...I don't know'