Just before Lucas's lips could touch hers, an image of Lindsey and Lucas kissing flashed in her mind. She pulled back, shocked, and realized that she just wasn't ready to take a risk like that. She wasn't ready to put her heart out there yet. Yes, she loved him, she was finally admitting that, but she wasn't ready to put all of her trust into him yet. She stepped back. "I'm sorry. I love you, but I can't go there yet. I'm still trying to process the fact that we went through all this pain and you're saying there wasn't even a reason for it. I just, I'm not ready," she said before fleeing to her car and driving away before he had time to react.
Not managing to drive very far, Peyton was only driving for about five minutes before she pulled her car over, trying to figure out what had just happened. Had she actually turned Lucas down, after realizing that she still loved him, and that she always would? She had thought she was willing to take the risk, but something had stopped her before she did. She wasn't sure what was going to happen now. A part of her desperately wanted to turn around and kiss him senseless. The other, more rational part realized that this was probably a good thing. She had always fallen right back into Lucas's arms when he'd asked her to. Now he would have to work for her, and it would tell her if he loved her like he said he did.
The longer she sat in the car, the more she realized that she had been doing the right thing when she had pulled away from Lucas, despite the fact that she longed for nothing more than to feel his lips on hers, and to feel other parts of him too. If she had given into the temptation, it wouldn't quite be just sex, because it had never been just sex between her and Lucas, but it wouldn't be for the right reasons. No matter how much she loved him, she wasn't sure she could be with him yet, and she didn't want to get sex involved until she was absolutely sure of her feelings.
Instead of going home, Peyton decided it was time to visit her in-laws. She knew that Haley was on bed rest right now, being so close to her due date, and she knew that the petite brunette was probably going crazy sitting at home all the time, being unable to do much of anything. Peyton had been the same way when she was having the 'lets, although, she had been considerably bigger. She had been that way before having the twins, too, though Lucas had not allowed her to do anything at all, but she couldn't blame him, since the twins had been a high-risk pregnancy. He had been funny when she was pregnant with the 'lets, though.
FLASHBACK
Peyton was standing in front of her closet, on a step-stool as she reached toward the back of the shelf, trying to get to something. Lucas came in and saw his wife, immediately going to her side as she pulled something off the shelf, blindly knocking a few other items off as well. He grabbed her as she stepped down, nearly tripping because of her huge belly. "Peyton, what the heck are you doing? You should be in bed," he said as he led her over to the bed, helping her to sit on it before going back to pick up the items she had knocked off of their closet shelf.
Allowing Lucas to force her back onto the bed, Peyton looked at the item she had clutched in her arms. She opened the photo album and flipped through the pages, stopping on one in particular. She held the book up towards him. "Look, Lucas, aren't they so precious?" she asked, pointing to the picture of the twins, not long after she had given birth to them. They were small for newborns, because of the complications Peyton had suffered, but in the picture they looked healthy enough, and just adorable.
As the tears welled up in her eyes, she wiped at them, laughing at herself. "Stupid hormones. I'm feeling so nostalgic right now, because we're going to have six more soon. Six, Lucas. Our family of four is going to expand to ten, just like that," she said, still flipping through the photo album that held pictures of the twins first year, and the nine months previous. They already had an album that contained pictures of the last nine months, which included pictures of the twins with her stomach, which had grown to humongous proportions, especially in Peyton's opinion.
Of course, Lucas wasn't done telling her off. He was a worried father, and husband. "Peyton, why didn't you wait for me to get that? I could have gotten it for you, if you had asked. You could have fallen. You've got to take it easy, okay? At least until your appointment next week, because the doctor said that anything can send you into early labor, and the doctors want to keep those babies in you for as long as possible, so they can get as much growing as they can," he could tell she wasn't really paying attention to him.
Shaking his head, he gave up on the lecture, knowing his wife was too stubborn to listen. Instead, he moved over and sat next to her. The twins were napping, so he had one of his few free moments. With Peyton out of commission, at least according to him, he had been busy nearly every second since the doctors had suggested that she go on bed rest, because his version of bed rest was a lot more stern than theirs, and he had barely let her lift a finger, but that was only because he was worried about her. The complications in the last pregnancy had scared him so bad. He wanted everything to run smoothly this time.
Rolling her eyes to let him know that she had heard every word, she broke her attention away from the photo album for a moment to look at him. "I'm fine, Lucas, really. Nothing happened, and I'm back in bed now, okay?" she assured him,cocking her head to the side as she looked at him. "You're lucky I know you're only going psycho over this because you're worried about me, otherwise I'd kick you out of my house," she paused for a moment. "Instead, though, I just know I'm pretty lucky, because I have an amazing husband who dotes over me, even if it is a tad much sometimes," she leaned over, meeting his lips with hers.
That didn't last long, because a couple moments later, Madison and Kerri were toddling into the room, Madison running up to her dad's legs, and Kerri running up to her mom's. "Ew, gross," Madison proclaimed, causing the couple to break away from each other and look at their baby girls. Lucas picked up Madison, ticking her as he pulled first her on the bed, and then Kerri, so Peyton wouldn't bend down to pick the two-year-old up, which she probably would have done, if she hadn't still been holding the photo album.
As Lucas begins tickling both girls, Peyton just watches, with a smile on her face. Her hand moved to her large stomach, rubbing gently. "You guys are very lucky, you know that? You're coming into a family that alrady has so much love we don't know what to do with it, and it'll always be that way. I promise, we'll always be a family, with plenty of love to go around," she murmured, noticing the lack of laughter, she looked up, to notice her husband staring at her. "Hey, guys," she said to the girls, "Do you want to look at these pictures with me? They're all of you," she offered.
The two girls got excited at the prospect of looking at pictures and Lucas settled on his side of the bed, as Peyton got more comfortable on her side, and the girls sat in between them. Peyton put the photo album on their laps, holding one side, while Lucas held the other, and they each had their arms around the girls. Peyton flipped back to the front of the album, and the girls looked on excitedly as Peyton explained that they had been in her tummy at the time the picture was taken. "You mean like the babies now?" Kerri asked, looking up at her mom.
With a smile, Peyton glanced over their heads, at Lucas, who smiled back, before looking down at her kids again. "Yes, baby girl, exactly like the babies now," she answered, flipping to another page. "And pretty soon, they'll be here, and you'll get to meet them. They'll probably look something like this," she said, pointing to a picture of the newborn twins, still in their incubators, where they had had to stay for a couple of days. "Hopefully they'll be strong and healthy, and we'll be able to bring them right home," she said.
The girls looked up at Peyton and Lucas, and Lucas couldn't help but add to what his wife was saying. "You know how Aunt Haley is pregnant, too, and she's due to have her babies any day now. Except she'll only have two, like when Mommy had you two. Now Mommy's going to have six," he explained. Madison asked if Aunt Haley was going to have six next, and Lucas and Peyton laughed as Lucas shook his head. "No, sweetie. Mommy is a special case. See, when she had the two of you, she had some problems, and she had to go to the doctor to get help with getting pregnant again, and because of that, she's having more babies than she would otherwise," he explained, ruffling his daughter's blonde hair.
A cell phone ringing broke the family out of their moment, and Peyton reached over and grabbed her phone from the nightstand. "Hello," she said and there was a pause as whoever was on the other line spoke. "Oh my gosh, of course, we'll be there soon," she said excitedly after a moment, shutting her phone. "Well, looks like you're going to meet your cousins sooner than we thought. That was Uncle Nathan. Aunt Haley is having her babies," she told her family, and Lucas jumped into action, rushing around to Peyton's side of the bed, helping her up and out of the house, grabbing jackets for all three of his favorite girls before taking them to the car so they could drive to the hospital.
END FLASHBACK
Smiling at the memory, she pulled her car to a stop in front of the Naley house. Robert and William had decided back then that they weren't ready to meet the world, and they didn't actually come until two weeks later, a week after Peyton's labor was induced and two weeks after they were due. Haley had been bored out of her mind sitting around the house for those two weeks, waiting for them to make their appearance, and Peyton knew Haley would be the same way now. She knew it was a good thing that Haley's babies never came before they were due, but it had to be boring sitting at home doing nothing, as she well knew.
So she got out of her Comet and headed to the front door, knocking on it when she reached it. She could have just walked in, but she felt like knocking. The door opened and she saw her niece standing there, with no adult at the door. "Now, just what are you doing, opening the door, Brianna? Haven't your Mommy and Daddy told you not to do that?" she asked, stepping in and picking up the little girl, who had raven hair and blue eyes like her father. "Speaking of your Mommy and Daddy, where are they?" she continued before Brianna could answer her first question.
Just as she finished saying that, Nathan came rushing down the stairs. "I thought I told you not to answer the front door without me, Bri," Nathan scolded, finally noticing Peyton. "Oh, hey, Sawyer, what's up?" he asked, as Peyton set Brianna down and closed the front door behind herself as Brianna ran off towards her bedroom. "I didn't know you were stopping by, or I would have saved you some dinner. As it is, I just put the leftovers away, but I could always reheat something for you," he offered, as he gestured for her to come further into the house.
Shaking her head, Peyton politely declined. "Nah, it's okay. I didn't come here to eat anyway. I came here to keep one of my best friends company while she has pretty much nothing to do. I figure you're not letting her do anything, so she doesn't strain herself. I know how you Scott men are about your pregnant wives," she said, cocking her eyebrow. "Way overprotective," she added with a laugh, just to tease Nathan. He playfully hit her arm and she rubbed the spot. "Okay, you are so losing your best friend title over that," she teased.
Laughing at her, because he knew she was just teasing, Nathan stuck his tongue out at her. "Whatever, you know you'd be lost without me," he teased back, turning to go to the living room. "You came to see my wife anyway, so what is up with that, Sawyer?" he bantered, stopping at the doorway to the living room. "Seriously, though, Hales is up in our room. I'm sure she would love to see you. Yell for me if you need anything," he said before going into the living room to watch T.V. with Brianna, as he had promised to do at dinner.
Heading up the stairs, Peyton didn't knock before entering Nathan and Haley's bedroom. Haley, who was sitting on the bed, a notebook propped on top of her pregnant stomach and glasses perched on the end of her nose, looked up at the sound of the door opening, smiling as she saw the blonde. "There's my favorite pregnant sister-in-law. How you doing, Hales?" Peyton asked as she stepped into the room, coming to sit next to Haley on the bed, but thinking better of it and grabbing the desk chair instead.
Scrunching her nose at Peyton's choice of seat, Haley set the notebook aside, pulling her glasses off and setting them on the night table. "I am so bored sitting here all the time. I can't wait until this little one gets here. Nathan is doting on me all the time, and while I would usually love that, I want to meet our newest Scott," she said, eying the chair Peyton was sitting in next to the bed. "Why are you sitting over there anyway? Do you have bad news or something?" she asked, cocking an eyebrow.
Realizing that it must seem like she was trying to stay away from Haley, Peyton shook her head, but then her thoughts went to the almost kiss with Lucas. Was that bad news? She looked down at her hands for a moment contemplating whether or not to tell Haley, but then decided that she didn't want to stress Haley with her problems. She looked back up with a forced smile. "Oh, yeah, Hales, I came up here because I want to be away from you," she joked. "I just don't want to sit on that bed that you and your husband share every night. I'll stick to the chair, thank you very much," she said.
Thinking it over, Haley couldn't help but laugh. "Suit yourself then," she said, as Peyton once again lost herself in her thoughts regarding Lucas. She was trying to decide what to make of the almost kiss. Sure, she had admitted her feelings to him, and he had promised to never break her heart again, but those were just words. She was really scared to make the committment to Lucas again, unless he was willing to really do something to prove to her that the risk could be worth it. "What's wrong?" Haley asked, notincing the look on Peyton's face.
Shaking her head, to get rid of the thoughts, and to tell Haley that nothing was wrong, Peyton put the smile back on her face. "Nothing at all, sister-in-law," she said, not giving Haley any time to protest before continuing, by changing the subject. "Now, whatcha working on? Are you working on a new song, because if you are, I'd love to hear it?" she gestured to the notebook Haley had just been writing in, knowing it was the one Haley wrote music in. For a moment Haley just stared at Peyton, but then she accepted Peyton's answer, and showed the blonde what she had just been working on.
A little while later, Haley clutched her stomach. She had been getting cramps all day, but, until now, she had just assumed it was Braxton Hicks, as it felt the same as before, but this time was different. Along with the pain she felt in her stomach, she suddenly felt water between her legs. She looked up at Peyton, who was staring at her with wide eyes, asking her what was wrong. "Unless I've just developped a bed-wetting habit, my water just broke, and I have to be honest, I've never wet the bed in my life," she told Peyton, who was still sitting there.
It took Peyton a moment to jump into action. She had never been on this side of the pregnancy before. She hadn't been right at hand when Haley or Brooke had had any of their children, and had always been called from the hospital. It was most definitely different to be near someone going into labor. She snapped out of her stupor as Haley threw the notebook at her, and she helped Haley out of bed. "Nate, I hope your ready, because your about to become a father again," she called as she led Haley to the bedroom door.
A few moments later, Nathan was running up the stairs, and ten minutes later, they were all on the way to the hospital. Nathan was driving Haley in their SUV, with Robert and William sitting in the back, holding her hand through the pain, while Peyton drove her Comet, with Brianna in the back seat with her. Brianna kept asking questions about the new baby and her mother, and Peyton distractedly answered her while trying to use her cell phone and keep an eye on the road at the same time.
Giving up on trying to call and drive, she handed the phone to Brianna in the backseat. "Hey, baby girl, you know how to use one of those, right? Can you call your Uncle Lucas, and tell him what's going on?" she asked, then listened as Brianna dialed the number. Peyton listened as Brianna left a message, because, aparantly, Lucas wasn't answering his phone. "Can you call Aunt Brooke now, baby girl?" she asked, and then listened as Brianna told Brooke that they were on the way to the hospital because she was going to be a big sister.
Taking the phone from Brianna as they reached the hospital, Peyton explained that Haley was in labor. Brooke said that she'd be there soon, and hung up. Peyton got of of the car and picked Brianna up into her arms before heading inside the hospital. She found Nathan, Robert and William in the waiting room, because they had told Nathan they would come get him once they got Haley settled in the room. Peyton left Brianna with them, and then left the waiting room so she could call Lucas again. He, again, didn't answer, and Peyton rolled her eyes as she shut her phone. He was avoiding her now? Fine then.
Before she could go back inside, Lucas was suddenly in front of her. Her eyes widened as she wondered how he was here so fast when she hadn't even spoken to him. He spoke up before she could. "I got the message from Brianna, and thankfully, I was already driving, and in the neighborhood. How is she doing?" he asked, clearly avoiding the elephant between them. Well, Peyton could do the same thing, if he was going to play it that way. She didn't have a chance to say anything though, before Brooke rushed up to her, also inquiring about Haley. Owen, Mariah and Justin were behind her.
Holding up her hands, Peyton focused her full attention on Brooke, ignoring Lucas. "She should be fine. Everything is going normal. Her whole pregnancy has been normal, so this should go fine, too. The only thing we really have to do now is wait for this baby to make an appearance. I wish she and Nathan would have figured out what it is, though, but I guess we finally get to find out tonight, if we're lucky," she said, looking at her watch. "Most likely it'll be tomorrow, though, so maybe you should send Mariah, Justin and Owen home. Maybe they can take Brianna too. It's past her bedtime," Peyton suggested.
Brooke, being Peyton's best friend, could tell that Peyton was searching for random things to say because she was worried about something, or avoiding something, sor someone. Luckily for Peyton, though, Brooke assumed it had to do with the fact that one of her best friends was in labor, and nothing to do with the fact that she had almost shared a kiss with her ex-husband, after pretty much admitting she was still in love with him. "That's not a bad idea, P. Sawyer. Owen, let me go get Brianna, and then you can take the young ones home," she said, glancing at her husband before heading into the hospital.
As Owen took Justin and Mariah back to the car, she was left alone with Lucas. She looked up at him for a moment before turning, intending to head back into the hospital without saying a word to him. He caught her arm before she could. "Wait, Peyton, I have to admit, I was hurt and confused by what you did earlier, but I want you to know that I'm not giving up on you. I'm not giving up on us-" he started to say, but she interrupted him before he could continue. She barely listened to anything but the first part.
With a shocked look toward him, she ripped her arm out of his grip. "You were hurt and confused? Try living that way for months, like I was when I tried to figure out what I had done to make you cheat on me? Was I really that bad a wife that you had to turn to another woman and have an affair? That's what I don't get, what I've been trying to figure out for months now," she cut him off when he tried to speak. "No, I really don't want to hear it, Lucas. I thought I was ready to take a chance on us again, but I'm not, and I don't know if I ever will be," she cut herself off and tried to control her anger.
As she turned away, she was so sure she could go back into the hospital without another word to him, but she did have something else to tell him. She turned slowly back to face him. "Listen, I need to figure out where my head is at, okay? But first I need to be here for Haley, and you do too. Whatever is going to happen between us doesn't need to be worried about now. That's why I think we should keep what happened at the Rivercourt between us. I just want to focus on the newest Scott and his or her parents for right now. Not us, and whatever we are, or could be," she said sadly, turning and walking away from him completely that time.
A/N: I had to rewrite this whole chapter, just for you guys, so Haley could have her baby. I hope y'all like it. It's not that eventful, but I'm happy with it, I guess. What I really want to hear is what y'all think, though, so let me know if you have any comments, criticisms or compliments. Just anything you want to say, go ahead and say it. I don't have much else to say, so I'm going to cut off, and let you guys review.
Disclaimer: I don't own anything.