His mother would probably throttle him if she knew what he was about to do right now. Come to think of it, he can think of a whole handful of people that would have something to say about his whereabouts but this wasn't a predetermined meeting. He'd just been driving, his seemingly favourite pastime these days; it made him feel like he was being useful in someway and even if he didn't acquire anything from his late night expeditions, he always came back with a clearer head. But tonight, for the first time something, or more accurately, someone, had caught his attention. And he can't not approach her, can't leave and come back because he doesn't know if there'll be a next time and he won't risk that because if she can help, in any slight way...he flexes his hands as he leaves the safety of his car and crosses the dark road to the other side where she's stood beneath the glow of a flickering street lamp.

The girl that's stood beside her slips away wordlessly when it's more than apparent that he's interested in one person only.

'I know you. I, I recognise you. You're the girl that had Peyton's jacket in the hospital-'

'Look unless you're interested in this' Her hand wavers down her body. 'Then I'm not talking honey'

'Five minutes! I just want five minutes of your time. I'll pay you if you-'

'Look kid, see that guy over there?' She points to a figure lurking in the shadows of a nearby ally. 'In less than sixty seconds he'll be over here chasing your ass off because if you aint interested in buying this' her hand crudely gestures to herself again. 'Then you're getting in the way of other fellas that are'

'Okay, okay. I am. I want that... You..Where, where do..what shall...'

She smirks as he shifts uncomfortably before her.

'Aren't you going to ask how much?'

'I don't care'

Her eyebrow kinks. 'Well lover boy, I guess you better show me to your car huh?' She links her arm through his and she teeters along beside him in her heels.

His stare flitters around nervously and he doesn't feel safe, not until he's back in his car.

'I'm not, I'm not interested in...well you know...I don't...I'll pay you, I will. But I don't want-'

'It's alright honey I know' Her eyes have softened and she seems to have let her guard down now they're sheltered and out of view. 'Just drive ok? You're going to get me fucking killed if they know I'm blabbing my mouth about shit that's none of my business-'

'I'm sorry, I really don't want to get you into any trouble but this really is important and-'

'I know. It's about the missing girl right?'

Lucas takes his eye of the road and glances at her.

'Look where you're going!' She exclaims.

'S-sorry' He splutters, quickly realising he needs to find somewhere to pull over because he can't drive and have this conversation.

He continues silently until they come to a dark end of a quiet one way street.

He warily turns the engine and headlights off, eager for the darkness of the night to swallow them up.

'You spent the night with him didn't you?' He tries to keep his voice calm but he's frustrated because its evident she knows all too well why he's so desperate to speak with her and he wants to throttle her for not coming forward with information because this is Peyton's life she's playing with, it's not just some petty little crime. 'You remember me don't you? You remember seeing me in the hospital? You had her jacket and you were dressed just like her- From behind I thought it was her.'

'Huh well you saw what he did to me- he didn't seem to agree, I didn't pull off your girlfriend very well' She laughs.

Lucas swallows thickly. He's not laughing. Nothing about this is funny. 'I'm sorry...that he-he hurt you' She doesn't look anything like she had that day he'd seen her, she's not black and blue with a bloody lip and a gash in her leg. She's dolled up, her head missing the blonde curly haired wig she'd donned, instead it's her natural brown and she's right, she's nothing like Peyton. And he wants her to dismiss his accusations, wants her to suddenly yell that he's crazy, that she's never seen him before in her life because he so badly doesn't want the man responsible for the state she was in those months ago, to be the same man that is with Peyton right now. 'I'm sorry-'

'You're not the one that did it babe. Look it's no biggy, I've been in this profession for a good while now- for the most part you come back in one piece but there's always going to be the odd fucked up psycho that wants more than you can give.'

'How could you not come forward? You must have seen her in the newspapers, you must have seen his face and known straight away-'

'I'm a hooker okay? This shit comes with the territory. If I go to the cops I'm essentially putting my ass on the line-'

'He has her!' Lucas exclaims. 'Don't you get that? He put you in hospital after one night! You need to come 's been with him for nearly five weeks now'

'Look I don't expect you to understand but I can't help you-'

'Why did you come with me then?'

'I don't know! But if I had any vital information I'd have reported it okay?! I'm not that heartless. But I can't help. I spent the night with him, that's all there is. I dressed up for him- that's hardly out of the ordinary but then he turned nasty. Said I was speaking wrong, that she didn't do this or that, that she was beautiful, that I was just a slut. And that's when it turned violent and he fucking stabs me in the leg- says I'm meant to have a scar there or some crazy shit. Well I fucking do now...'

Lucas closes his eyes tight. 'Did he, I dunno, did he say anything about where he came from or where he was going to go after Tree Hill? Anything at all, however little or insignificant you think it is. Please, please try and think'

'I wasn't there to get his life story'

Lucas pinches the bridge of his nose because he feels deflated; upon recognising her he'd been filled with such hope and it's just another dead end.

'He's not the only guy I've pretended to be some girl for but this, it, I dunno it was different somehow. It was more than just some attraction, he was infatuated, he had her pictures all over the wall, he was obsessed. And I don't think it was just about wanting to fuck her'

Lucas cringes at her bluntness.

'He, when he was pretending I was her he, he talked about how happy we were going to be, about how perfect our life was going to be...what I'm, I'm trying to say is I don't think he'll of killed her. He wasn't one of those types you know? He wouldn't be satisfied by that, he, he wanted to be with her, like in a relationship'

Lucas doesn't know if she means her opinion to be reassuring but the last thing it is, is that. It's the opposite and he suddenly wants out of this car but she's talking again.

'He- I doubt this is any help'

Lucas averts his stare back to her, urging her to divulge her thoughts to him regardless of whether she deems them insignificant.

'When he, when he spoke, he, he had a twang- he sounded like, well he reminded me of how my MoMa would speak- she was born and raised in Southern Louisiana- I use to visit her when I was little- hell, I'd probably be living a whole different life is she hadn't gone and died on me. She probably would of took me in, she was always yelling at my Mumma that she didn't treat me right...' She blinks and shakes her head because she's gotten off track. 'I'm no freaking expert but it, it's just not the same as here, not exactly, you know? I know that isn't gonna help you find where he's taken her but maybe if you know where he's from to begin with...' She shrugs her shoulders. 'It might help'

'You're right' He nods slowly and scrapes his hand through his hair. It's minute, it's an opinion, a hooker's opinion. But nonetheless he'll take it over nothing because the police don't seem to be getting any closer at identifying who this man actually is and he doesn't get why it's so hard, he doesn't understand how her abductor has seemingly slipped through the system. The most they have on him is a handful of locations in the nearby area of where he'd been staying at the times that he'd been communicating with her via the internet and each motel or apartment he's listed as none other than Derek Sommers.

'She must have been a smart girl, choosing a good boy like you...'

'She is smart' Lucas corrects tersely. He's sick of people talking about her in the past tense like she's not coming back. He can't afford to start thinking like that.

He rifles in his pocket for his phone. This meeting has him eager to embark upon this line of enquiry and he's suddenly desperate to contact the real Derek and gain his perspective on the matter.

His eyes narrow as he keys in his password and 6 missed calls light up his screen. He hastily opens up the blinking message.

Nate: Man ur abt 2b a big bro again! Ur Mum dsnt wnt u 2 freak bt Hales n I hv jst taken her 2 hospital. Tried ringing. Jst gt here as sn as u cn.

'Shit. I have to go' He mutters, shoving his phone away. 'Can I give you my number? In case you remember anything?

He doesn't wait for an answer, he's fumbling around in the side pocket of the car door for a pen and locates a scrap of paper.

'Sure but I really have told you-'

'I know, just incase though' He insists, hurriedly scrawling down his number 'Er, do you want me to take you-'

'No I'm good here, I can walk'

'Okay that's great' He hands over the crumpled number that's written on the back of the many missing Peyton Sawyer flyers that are lurking everywhere. 'How much do you-'

'It's on the house' She smiles and he stops rifling through his wallet, his squinting eyes finding hers.

'But I want to-'

'Yeah well I don't want your money' She winks and lets herself out of his car.

'I don't want you getting into trouble because of me-'

'I won't. I can handle myself.'

'I didn't even get to know your name-'

'You don't need my name babe' She bends down, peering through the open window. 'For the record, I really do hope you find her'

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'Where is she?!' He bleats as he catapults into the waiting area, almost colliding into the opposite wall as he comes to an abrupt halt.

'She's fine' Nathan and Brooke are on their feet and Haley is sprawled sleepily over several chairs, her hand protectively over her swollen belly.

'She's okay?' He repeats.

'Uhuh' Brooke smiles.

'It's early right? It wasn't meant to be-'

'It's okay. The baby got a bit distressed and they ended up delivering by C-section but we just saw your Mum and apart from being exhausted she's doing great and your little sister- God she's so beautiful Luke!' Brooke chimes excitedly and Lucas fleetingly thinks he hasn't seen her smile at all in the last month but then he can't think of anything at all accept Brooke's last words.

'Sister?'

'Yes big brother, it's a girl'

'And she, the baby, she's okay?'

'Healthy as healthy can be' Haley pushes herself up from her seat with some assistance from Nathan before hugging Lucas. 'Congratulations best friend'

'Th-thanks' He loiters, he's seemingly in a stupor and Brooke bites her lip in entertainment.

'Well are you going to just stand there? I think your Mum might just want to see you'

'Right, right- where..?' He looks around aimlessly and with firm hands Nathan directs him down the correct corridor.

'Room 204- right at the end. We'll wait here'

'Thanks man'

He begins the short journey down the hallway and suddenly he's moving oh so slowly. He'd rushed here, had run up the two sets of stairs to the maternity ward because the lifts wouldn't have got him there fast enough and now his feet are taking their precious time because he's unsure what state his mother is going to be in; he's worried his sister's birth is going to be a catalyst to her grief because his uncle, his little sister's father will never see his daughter, he'll never get to watch her grow and he knows, knows that she'd never have wanted it like this. Being a single parent had been hard on her and he knows this time round she'd have wanted it differently, of course she would, who wouldn't? But Keith had been taken from her, him and his newborn sibling. And his mother was alone again. Only this time it would be different in comparison to when she'd had him, because she had him and he was hell bent on staying around to help her in giving his sister the best possible life.

It's that positive thought that has him entering the room.

Her smile is wide as she looks up from the bundle in her arms and realises it's her son. 'Lucas'

'Mum' He ventures toward the bed. 'Are you okay?'

'Sore but this makes it worth while don't you think?'

His eyes tentatively look down at the small baby that lays across her chest and he's instantly overcome with a warm feeling in his chest.

She's smaller than he'd imagined but she's got a head of dark curls already and a sweet button nose.

'Here, you take her' Karen murmurs.

He's awkward at first but under his mother's coaxing words he holds his sleeping little sister for the first time and sits down in the chair by the bed.

She's warm and unmistakably real- nothing like those virtual dolls his sex ed class had bought in to enlighten them on how much hard work a baby was.

'I- I didn't think it'd be like this- I mean I knew I'd like her but I thought I'd have to get to know her you know?'

Karen laughs lightly at his muttered musings.

He smiles sheepishly, a slight blush touching his cheeks.

'She's pretty easy to love huh?'

'She's beautiful'

'She's got her Daddy's brown eyes, you'll see when she wakes up'

'He'd be so proud Mum' Lucas softly murmurs.

'You mean he is, he'll be watching over her always'

He tears his eyes away from the sleeping angel in his arms and looks at his mother again. On closer inspection he can tell she's been crying and she's being strong under his watchful eye.

'And you Mum, he's watching over you too' He declares. 'It's okay to be happy and sad'

'When did my little boy become some wise?' She reaches out and strokes her hand fondly over his cheek.

'I'm not so little anymore more' He smirks. 'She's the baby'

'Yes she is. But you'll always be my baby boy' She teases and shakes his head and with a roll of the eyes averts his stare back to the content baby.

'What do you think about Lily?'

'Lily' He tests it out on the tip of his tongue. 'Lily, it's pretty, really pretty Mum' He decides.

She smiles. 'Good because I think I kind of like it too'

'It's perfect'

'Lily Peyton Scott'

Lucas' stare slowly migrates away from the newborn little girl to fixate on his mother again. 'What did you just say?' He asks quietly.

'Her name, her full name is Lily Peyton Scott'

He's defenceless to the tears that well in his eyes. He doesn't know what he feels. He knows it's meant to be a sweet gesture but it feels wrong somehow; he doesn't want his baby sister to have her name, not in this way, not like Peyton's dead and Lily's naming is in memory of her.

Karen seemingly can read his thoughts. 'Not in remembrance of Peyton, but because she's strong and spirited and I hope Lily will learn a thing or to from her when she's home again with us'

And her gentle words suddenly make it the special sentiment that it is.

He nods, his glassy eyed stare drifting back to the baby in his arms. 'Lily Peyton Scott' He softly murmurs and with that her little brown eyes flicker open.

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'Congratulations' Derek smiles as he looks at the picture the proud brother is showing him on his phone.

'She's kinda cute right?'

Derek chuckles. 'Yeah, you're definitely going to have trouble on your hands there' He smirks.

'I'll keep her in check'

'Sure you will' Derek drawls. 'She'll have you wrapped around her little baby fingers in no time'

'I think she already does' Lucas admits, his smile still intact as he flips through his pictures of his less than a day old sister again. The sequence of new images finally ends and Peyton fills his screen instead. His jubilant smile wanes into one of sadness. 'Mum decided to call her Lily Peyton Scott' He divulges.

Derek is quiet for a moment, choked by this information. Not that Lucas knows it, his appearance strong and stoic as always. 'She'll be a total girl and cry when she finds that out' He eventually murmurs in an attempt to brighten Lucas' sudden disheartened disposition.

'Yeah'

'You're lucky you know, getting to have a relationship with Lily from day one. I didn't get that. I hated Peyton for a long time. I always knew she existed and to a kid, it seemed like my Dad had been taken away by her Mum and her. I'd had him for seven years and then he just left. She didn't even get that though did she? He didn't stick around long enough to learn her name even'

'I'm sorry man' Lucas sympathetically regards him.

'Yeah, me too. I'm sorry I didn't seek her out- she contacted me more or less as soon as she found out about me. She wanted to know me, to be a part of my life and I could have come to her so many years ago.'

'She understands Derek, you were a kid yourself'

'Mm' He nods. 'But I could have been there for her you know? I could have kicked your sorry ass for goggling at her for too long' He smirks.

Lucas cringes and holds his hands up in the air. 'Hey, I've always been a sweet honourable guy'

Derek sniggers. 'Sure you are' He chortles sarcastically. 'I've seen the way you look at her'

'I kinda like her' He shrugs.

'Yeah, I can see that' Derek nods. 'All jokes aside, I do approve you know? I know you two are young but it's not just a fling is it?'

Lucas shakes his head vigorously. 'I love her, always have, since the first moment I saw her and it took us a while to get on the same page but we're there now...we were there until...' He shakes his head.

Derek squeezes the teenager's shoulder.

'You know I told you about the girl I saw in the hospital that time?' Lucas abruptly redirects his emotions and focuses on the reasoning for his need to meet with her brother so early in the morning.

'The one dressed like Peyton, the one with her jacket?'

'Yeah. I saw her last night'

'What?'

'I found her-'

'Luke what have I said about telling me what you're doing when it comes to this-'

'I wasn't looking for her. I was driving and I saw her on the street corner and just recognised her immediately and I couldn't just leave'

Derek blinks at Lucas' hasty explanation.

'She's a hooker. She spent the night with him. He did that to her, put her in the hospital, beat her up because she wasn't being Peyton convincingly enough' He shudders in revulsion. He can't escape it; horrific visions have taken up residence in his head, are torturing him constantly because he can't not assume he's hurt her, especially after his conversation with the prostitute, now he knows for certain that that psycho was responsible for the girl's trip to A&E.

'Why hasn't she gone to the police? -'

'I know, I tried to make her see sense but she's convinced it'll get her in trouble and said she had no information that could help'

Derek clenches his hands around the slacks of wood beneath them.

'She said it sounded like he could be from southern Louisiana to her. And I know it's a long shot but-'

'No, that, that's good. We should look into it' Derek nods positively. 'It can't hurt to be thorough. I'll go down there, it'll make more sense than making a thousand phone calls'

Lucas nods.

'He's hurt her hasn't he? I saw what he did to that girl Derek, he did that to her and she was a willing participant- It's highly unlikely that he's not hurting her, with everything we know isn't it?...' His voice wavers as he looks at the experienced soldier pleadingly, desperate for a disagreeing answer.

Derek grits his teeth and stares ahead.

'I'm not going to lie to you. You're right, it's unlikely that she'll come back to us completely unharmed' It's not the reply Lucas wants and he shakes his head slowly back and forth.'But he hurt that girl because she wasn't Peyton. Peyton has that advantage doesn't she? If anyone can get around him it'll be her. She's his weakness.-'

'Yes but he's disillusioned, he thinks she loves him and when she doesn't... how will he have reacted when she didn't reciprocate?' He discloses his inner most worries.

'She's smart Luke- she'll do what she has to, to survive-'

'She's not invincible Derek!' Lucas exclaims, all but lurching from the bench in favour of pacing back and forth on the pavement before them. 'She's so small!- you think your combat training will have given her the skills to fend him off?! If he, if he wants th-that from her he...god he's raped her hasn't he?' His fingers curl into fists. 'He couldn't, how could anyone? I can't, I don't...'

'Lucas' Derek joins him in standing and intercepts Lucas' frenzied walking. He grips the panicked teenager's shoulders firmly. 'Look at me. I promise you when we find them I will make him suffer like you've never known, I will kill him, I will make sure he never touches her again and she will come back from this. She's going to need you more than ever and she's going to push you and you're going to have to be so fucking strong, but you can't give up on her. You already made your choice and there's no going back now'

'I can't stand it. I can't stand knowing that she's being harmed and I can't do anything about it'

'I know Luke, I know but you are doing something. You're doing everything you possibly can. And when we get her back it'll be thanks to everything you've done. So don't give up-'

'I'm not, it's just...'

'Hard. I know. Look I'm going to go look into this Louisiana thing. Why don't you go back to the hospital and see your Mum and the baby and concentrate on them right now. You can carry on working your way up the routes we've highlighted and ask around with Larry and Brooke '

'No I, I want to come with you. Haley and Nate will look after Mum and Lily and Larry and Brooke can continue with everything else. I have to come too'

'Okay' Derek agrees, he's not going to argue, he's swiftly come to learn that when Lucas Scott decides something he won't be budged on the matter. 'Come on then, lets get out of here' He gestures for Lucas to lead the way.

It happens so fast, too fast, he's only just turned around when Derek's voice sounds fiercely from behind him.

'Get down!'

One moment he's standing, the next a heavy hand pushes him and he's reeling forward, his knees smashing into the concrete below.

He grimaces.

A grunt sounds behind him and despite his sudden dead legs he scuffles, his palms grazing against the pavement as he twists himself around.

His eyes expand and shock disables his body's ability to stay composed. He trembles.

Because he's sprawled out on the ground and there's blood, too much. It seeps through Derek's white shirt, the cotton swiftly becoming dark crimson in colour.

Lucas gulps and the adrenaline that's been unleashed suddenly takes a hold, seizing him into action. He tears his jacket off, pressing it against the Derek's chest.

'It's okay- it-it's okay-'

People have gathered and he suddenly can hear the hum of anxious bystanders.

'Someone call an ambulance' He demands. 'Please'

'Lu-cas' Lucas' dilated eyes snap up to regard Derek's frail face. 'St-stop' The wounded soldier's hand firmly takes over the job that Lucas' shaky blood coated fingers are attempting. 'It- it was him. Went- He-he went toward the riverc-court' He rasps.

'What?'

'G-go' Derek growls, the hand that isn't at his chest, reaching into the back of his pants.

'Don't move!' Lucas exclaims disbelievingly as he watches helplessly as Derek arches his back and awkwardly retrieves a gun.

'G-go' He barks, throwing the weapon at a traumatised Lucas. 'Lucas!'

He blinks but Derek's aggressive shout racketing through him is enough to make him spring into action and he gets it together. Quickly.

It's like someone's clicked a button. He's focused and snatches up the revolver and without a second thought he's moving- pushing his way through the crowd because he knows who did this. And he knows all too well who that bullet was intended for and he's suddenly a soldier and he sprints into pursuit of the felon. He feels closer to Peyton than he has since she was taken, like she's just within his reach and he his legs move ever quicker because he feels like he's being dangled a lifeline and he's hellbent on not letting it slip through his fingers.