Chapter 10 – Merry Christmas Everyone!
"Merry Christmas," Lucas said as he watched Peyton next to him begin to wake up.
"Merry Christmas," Peyton said with a yawn before kissing her boyfriend. "Luc, you do realise it's like four am."
"Yeah. Shall we go and see what Santa Claus left in our stockings?" Lucas asked with a childish gleam in his eyes.
"Sounds like a plan," Peyton said as she got out bed before running out of their bedroom childishly calling over her shoulder, "Race ya!"
"Mommy, Daddy. IT'S CHRISTMAS!" Jamie shouted as he bounced on his parent's bed.
"It sure is Jamie. Are you ready to see what Santa Claus left you?" Nathan asked with yawn as he sat up and smiled at his smiling son.
"Yeah, come on Daddy, come on Mommy, we got to go!" Jamie shouted continuing to bounce and pull at his parent's pyjama sleeves.
"Well, if James Lucas Scott says we've got to go, we've got to go," Haley said also smiling before she and Nathan followed a running Jamie down their stairs and into the living room.
"Mouth, get up, get up," Brooke said excitedly as she ran into Mouth's bedroom.
"What? Why?" Mouth asked in a tired and confused voice.
"Why?! Because it's CHRISTMAS!" Brooke shouted.
"Oh yeah… Merry Christmas," Mouth said completely bewildered.
"Come on, we've got to go check our stockings."
"Brooke, it's half four in the morning, our stockings are still going to be there at a more reasonable time of say, nine."
"Please Mouth, I want to go open my presents now and it wouldn't be the same without you," Brooke said giving Mouth large puppy-dog eyes.
"Fine! Let's go," Mouth said with a smile of defeat making Brooke jump and clap before she hurried into their living room.
By the time Lucas had ran into his and Peyton's beautifully decorated living room she was already kneeling on floor by the hearth jumping up and down like an excited three-year-old. He loved seeing her so happy and full of life, he loved that it was him who made her feel like this, he loved her.
"Finally (!) Can you hurry up and sit down so we can open our presents please?!" Peyton said happily.
"Peyton you do realise you're twenty-three not three don't you?" Lucas asked with a smile as he walked over to the mahogany fireplace to collect their stockings.
"Luc, it is Christmas, everybody is three years old at Christmas," Peyton said like it was the most obvious thing in the world. "Anyway you're the one who woke up at FOUR O'CLOCK."
"True, now who's going to open theirs first?" Lucas asked still grinning broadly as he sat down next to Peyton, stockings in hand.
When Nathan and Haley walked into their living room it appeared as if a wrapping paper bomb had exploded. After searching for about five minutes they eventually found their son underneath a particularly large pile of snowman wrapping paper with his eyes glued to a game 'Santa' had brought him.
"Hey, Jamie, there you are. Who got you that?" Haley asked as she sat on one side of her son and her husband sat on the other.
"Santa," Jamie replied in a monotone, not taking his eyes of the game. At this both his parents looked at each other and mouthed 'Skillz'.
"Shall we see what Santa brought for Mom and Dad?" Nathan asked. His only reply was a slight shrug of Jamie's shoulders making both he and Haley laugh.
A few hours later Deb entered the living room armed with video camera and even more presents.
"Come on Mouth, I want to open our presents!" Brooke said pulling Mouth onto the floor next to the fireplace.
"Ok, ok, here you go," Mouth said as he handed Brooke her blood red stocking with her name embroidered on it.
***
"Jamie, hurry up we need to get to Aunt Karen's!" Haley called up the stairs to her son as Nathan got into their car and started the engine.
"Brooke, hurry up we need to get to Karen's," Mouth called as he smoothed out the white, open-neck shirt he had chosen to wear with black trousers and black shoes.
"Chill out Mouth, I'm here what-do-you think?" Brooke as she twirled around. She was wearing a fitted, knee-length, halter-neck blood red dress that looked stunning on her.
"I think you look beautiful but aren't you going to freeze, I mean it is December."
"I know its December Mouth, I mean it is Christmas. Anyway I'm wearing a jacket, see?"
"Perfect now can we go?"
"Yeah, I want to see what everyone thought of their presents."
"Peyton, hurry up we need to get to my mom's," Lucas said to his closed bedroom door.
"I'm coming just give me a minute, I'm just finishing my make-up," Peyton said back with a hint of frustration in her voice.
"Peyton, you're beautiful anyway," Lucas said slightly exasperated. He was wearing black shoes, dark denim jeans and a blue shirt which reflected his eyes beautifully he wore it open-necked and with its long sleeves rolled up, it had been given to him by Brooke for Christmas. He also carried a black suit jacket with him and a blue grey striped scarf for when he was outside. On his left wrist he wore a silver watch, with a black leather strap that Peyton had bought him for Christmas. After checking this he closed his eyes in slight frustration; they were already ten minutes late. He opened his eyes when he heard the creek of their bedroom door.
"Peyton…you look…" Lucas breathed as his blue eyes took in Peyton's stunning appearance. Her slim figure was draped in a beautiful strapless, knee-length, deep green coloured dress and plain black high heeled shoes. Around her neck, he noticed that she wore the silver and diamond heart pendant he had given her. It hung even more elegantly than he had imagined when purchasing it.
"Ok?" Peyton asked slightly nervous.
Instead of responding verbally, Lucas wrapped his strong arms around Peyton's waist and pulled her into a deeply passionate and intimate kiss. He then removed his lips from hers and began kissing along her neck and jaw line whilst also gently walking her back into their bedroom.
It was not until Lucas was laid on top of her that Peyton fully realised what was happening. She allowed it to continue, running her hands beneath Lucas' shirt and along his spine. Until she managed to catch a glimpse of the time on Lucas' watch as he ran his hands through her hair.
"Lucas…" she breathed "Luc…we can't do this right now…we're going to be late."
"Come on…it doesn't matter if we're a little late…and you look really hot…it'd be a crime not to," Lucas said as he looked at Peyton in a playfully seductive way before breathing into her ear, "You know you want to" and resuming kissing her neck and chest.
"Fine but you can tell you're mom why we are late," Peyton said as she lent in to begin kissing her boyfriend.
"Maybe, we should do this later," Lucas said as he climbed of the bed and offered Peyton his hand to help her stand and smooth herself down.
"You're probably right and now we have an excuse to escape early if it becomes necessary." Peyton said as she reached for black coat with her free hand, her other hand was safely entwined within Lucas'.
"Yeah and what makes you think we're going to need to escape?" Lucas asked closing and locking their front door with his free hand.
"Lucas, I have had enough experience with the Scott family to know that something dramatic is going to happen when they all get together." Peyton said simply making Lucas smile and ask, "Even if it's the good ones?"
"Ooooh, especially if it's the good ones." Peyton said with a slight gleam in her eye as Lucas pulled out of their drive way and drove the ten minute drive to Karen's house.