When asked if he was seeing anyone at the premiere of his new movie he deftly avoided the topic.

When asked if she was seeing anyone at the album release party of her latest artist she simply shrugged and said 'Who knows'.

Famous last words.

Mackenzie Rose Scott. Brooke Davis protégé and fledgling matchmaker.

The morning of the plan there was an episode between the two targets. Target one was wearing his missing t-shirt and nothing else. Of course Target two discovered the latter bit of information as his hands moved under the garment while he pressed her between himself and the kitchen table. She was playing dirty now. Walking around the house with no bra was one thing. No underwear. Well double damn.

'You're killing me,' he whispered in her ear.

Her only response was a throaty groan. The pounding of overly excited footsteps sounded above them and the two parted quickly. Lucas to the stool located at the island and Peyton back to the stove to flip the pancakes. He watched lustily as her left thigh quivered somewhat.

'Mummy, Daddy are you ready for my surprise tonight,' Mac's voice sounded as she climbed into the bar stool next to her father. Peyton turned in time to catch the Eskimo kiss between father and daughter before turning back to take the pancakes off the stove.

'So what is this surprise you have planned,' Lucas asked humoring his daughter. She swiveled her head dramatically.

"Nu-uh Daddy. It's a surprise," she said wagging her finger at him.

"Yeah it's a surprise, duh," Peyton chimed in as she slid their breakfast in front of them.

Lucas gingerly cut into his pancakes.

"It's not like they are going to ooze with batter Lucas," she huffed.

"I'm just getting used to the fact that you haven't burnt them," he argued.

"Daddy mommy's been a good cook," Mackenzie informed him as she drowned her pancakes in syrup.

Lucas and Peyton eyed the drowned pancakes warily. Maybe they really were bad parents considering all the sugar she was about to consume.

"Honey don't you think you used to much," Lucas asked gently removing the bottle from her grasp.

"No."

"Yeah Luc I think she missed a spot," Peyton said with a chuckle.

"Hey why do I have to be the bad cop," he asked as he watched his daughter devour the food in front of her.

"Cause I got a promotion to the good cop," Peyton said with a sweet laugh, "Besides I'm going to head up to shower."

"Need any help," Lucas asked with a wolfish smirk.

She shot him a surprised look and he watched as her face flushed while the hair on her arm stood on end. He arched an eyebrow back at her and she simply shook her head before going upstairs.

"Daddy, Can you make more pancakes," Mackenzie asked.

"Baby there's a full plate on the counter," Lucas said motioning over to the plate near the stove.

"All gone," Mackenzie said flashing him her very own wolfish grin.

Lucas looked down at her shocked for a moment.

"Sure Kenz," he said standing up to cook.

"Now you're not allowed back in 'til six and don't be late," Mackenzie said very seriously as she literally pushed the two adults out of the front door.

Lucas stared at Peyton before shaking his head at her.

"She's so bossy sometimes," he said with a small laugh.

"Yeah she's spoiled," Peyton agreed.

"So what are we gonna do for five hours," Lucas asked looking at her.

"Um well I was just gonna go shopping downtown," Peyton said with a shrug.

"For vinyls," Lucas asked with a smirk.

"Well yeah. I leave all the girly shopping to Brooke," she said with a shrug, "What do you plan on doing."

He smiled and stepped closer invading her personal space.

"Following you around Manhattan," he said softly.

She blushed furiously at these words. His head leaned forward and she tasted his lips slowly. He took a step closer to her savoring her taste luxuriously in his mouth. He rolled his tongue back and forth gently drinking in her taste. This kiss unlike the others was slow and sure. There bodies were now flush against one another and it wasn't until she groaned softly that he pulled away. He grins at her devilishly and grabs her hand.

"Come on you we only have five hours," he drawls sarcastically letting his southern accent coat each word thickly.

She giggles and follows him as they head out.

They are walking together this time with their feet taking sure steps as they pace down Broadway. Its hot and humid and despite this he tugs her hand close as they blend into the crowded city street. She can't remember the last time she laughed and giggled so much. He keeps sending her soft gazes thinking his pure black aviators are hiding them. But she can literally feel his eyes raking over her as the hairs of her hands, shoulders, arms, legs stand on edge every time he takes her in. She decided to surprise him and instead of veering down University place she has conveniently ignored it and now she's leading them down Broadway waiting for him to recognize exactly where they are. He is leaning close and his nose brushes against hers and all she wants to do is let go and kiss him without a care but she doesn't because for all the anonymity she thinks they have its only a matter of time before someone catches them and then whatever privacy they have is over.

He sees it just as he's pulled away from her for the umpteenth time. He can barely get enough of her even though they've barely spoken about their relationship or even hashed out their problems. They'd started playing their favorite music and lyrics game again. The one where one says the lyrics and the other guess the band or calls a bluff. She's pretty good at calling his. But now he can think of a better way to spend his day so when he pulls away to see where she's led him he can't but embrace the warm comfort he always feels around her.

He'd been pretty sure they'd walked past University and he knew she would be put out she'd been to distracted but he didn't care. When he saw the store though he literally dragged her behind him forgetting all about her desires to go to a record stop. The Strand was the mother of all bookstores and as an author he couldn't help but race in to find something amazing.

She let him pull her along as he zig-zagged through the store to the llt section. Mac was the same way in the same store. She smiled against his chest as an arm wrapped around her while he stood in front the oversized bookshelf clearly searching for something. It really was a good day.

"I can't believe you made us late," he teased

"We wouldn't have been late if I didn't have to drag you out the last store," Peyton gave him a look.

"Says the girl hold twenty vinyls," he shot right back, " You could've got an assistant to get them for you for prob half price on the web."

"But half the fun in getting awesome records is shopping for them. I mean absolutely where can you find awesome record shop like..,"

"You're late."

They were interrupted by Mackenzie, who was wearing her mother's favorite scowl and a tuxedo. Her hair was braided in two French braid and her gloved hands curled at her hips.

"Your mom got lost in the store," Lucas thumbed his finger at Peyton.

"Why would you let her go in the record store," was the shrill respond.

"Cause I went to the bookstore."

"You went to the bookstore without me."

"I brought you something back."

"But half the fun is looking," Mac whined.

"Told ya," Peyton said walking past the two,

Lucas simply rolled his eyes.

"Well now you only have forty five minutes to get dressed for my surprise," Mac said squaring her shoulders before marching herself in the kitchen.

The two parents looked at each other oddly before heading upstairs together. And as always Lucas' heart twisted a little as Peyton went to her room while he went to his.

Slow shower steam curled about her pruned finger as she dries herself off. She is trying not address the tugging in her stomach that's always there when he is his room and she is in hers. She leans forward to the mirror to brush her teeth looking at her eyes. They are the same green as his favorite shirt but the shirt is so old she can't remember if he bought it before or after he'd been with her. She clicks the automatic toothbrush off and stands up straight before tucking the towel around her and heading to the bedroom.

He sits in his room holding a small black velvet box while water beads run off his back. He is staring at it oddly daring himself to open it and look at the glinting stone inside. He'd forgotten he brought it with him and discovered it while rummaging for a pair of boxer briefs.

"You can change the sky all you want son but changing your mind will be a lot harder"

The weight of the words bore down on him as he sat on the edge of his bed fingering the velvet. When the woman across the hall first turned them down he hadn't even bothered to try to continue their relationship. Instead he'd fled the scene of the crime and had run home to his mentor with his tail between his legs. After a firm berating the older man's voice softened and he uttered the words kindly patting the boy's shoulder.

"…You can change the sky…"

He'd traveled for such a long time before settling in New York hoping the city would wash out her memory.

"…But changing your mind…"

He looked up to his door as it opened quickly and his little girl poked her head in.

"Dad you're not even dressed," she cried sullenly.

He clutched the box tightly as she came in and sat on the bed.

"What's wrong daddy?"

He studied the little girl before him before tapping her nose gently.

"Nothing Kenz," he says with a small smile.

"I won't tell I promise," her eyes widen in a pout that earned her many of treats over the years.

"I just wish I had done things differently with your mom sometimes."

"Well you're here now," she says innocently enough.

"Yeah I know. "

"So cheer up and get dressed so I can get your surprise started," the little girl said squishing her father's face in her hands before springing off the bed to the door.

Lucas sighed before looking down at the black velvet box once more.

"Finally," Mackenzie said as the two made their way downstairs.

Lucas tugged at the collar of his dress shirt as he watched Peyton's hips swing gently in front of him as she made her way down the stairs. Mackenzie's smile lit up perfectly as both her parents followed her towards the back of the house.

"Wel-come to-uh Luigi's," she said in the best Italian accent she could muster.

Peyton snickered and Lucas elbowed her before playing along.

"Thank you miss do you have a table for two," Lucas asked grabbing Peyton to him.

She blushed fiercely squirming away from him as they had yet to show any affection towards one another in front of Mac.

"For you-uh I have just-uh da table for you-uh," Mackenzie before proudly marching her parents towards the mezzanine balcony.

The smell of fresh Italian food awaits them as Mackenzie leads them to their table.

"U Sit, U Sit," she motions to them as Lucas grabs Peyton's chair for her.

She smiles sweetly at her before gently kissing her on her fore head.

"Now you-uh talk," Mackenzie says, " and you-uh don't-uh come in the house until you-uh do."

Before they could question it Mackenzie scampered back into the house and they heard the glass doors slam behind them. Brooke's face appeared waving at them before the shades were quickly drawn and the lights cut inside the home.

"Did she really just lock us out the house," Lucas asked incredulously.

He crosses the balcony towards the doors but nothing. Instead several blinds part and he sees Brooke Davis's mischievous smile leering back at him.

"TALK," Mackenzie and Brooke shout at the same time.

"I guess we should talk about us then," Peyton said nervously.

An: yea I kno update was years in the making…been studying for grad school and job hunting. Besides I've been working on my own novel so this obviously is just an exercise when I have a writer's block.