The results that the Scott's received from the doctor were perfect. Peyton and the baby were healthy and had zero risk of any complications this time around. Luke was thrilled with this news and was comforted in the fact that he could actually enjoy the birth of his second child. And Peyton felt confident in the fact that the sickness she had been feeling was just nausea.
Michael and Sawyer were both back in school by the following week, both families uneasy, knowing that Ian was still out there. The precautions were taken and the police were confident that Ian Banks wouldn't get within a 1 mile radius of the two Scott families. Haley and Peyton were situated back into their routines, every other day picking up the two kids from kindergarten at noon.
It was the twelfth days since the accident which had happened on the Friday of the second week since school had begun. Haley was walking the sidewalk up to the school entrance. She handed her ID to the man in uniform stand guard at the door. He let her through and she waited in the hallway for the last five minutes of class with the other mothers. It was times like these she realized that she would never be a stereotypical mother. She watched on as the other mother's gabbed to themselves about PTA and book clubs and bake sales and what time they would meet for brunch the next morning. This realization also made her happy that she had her two best girl friends. Her kids loved them as much as she did and together they were all one big family. She couldn't ask for anything better.
It was noon, so she followed behind the group of mothers into the classroom. The kids were packing up the art supplies off the round tables and grabbing their belongings from the cubbies. Sawyer was at her side quickly, grabbing her hand, while Mike staled, talking to everyone and anything.
"Mike" Haley called to him. He looked away from his group of friends. "Let's go, I've got to drop Sawyer off at the studio and you with Nanny Deb and Emily and get back to school."
He bowed his head and followed her out of the building.
Once in the car, Sawyer perked up. "Aunt Haley, today Michael took his bracelet off, and I told him not too"
"Tattle tale" He spat and watched as his mother glared at him from the rearview. "I put it back on!"
"Michael, I already told you the importance of that bracelet."
"Mom, but guys don't wear bracelets!" He defended and Haley sighed.
"I will talk to you about this later." She scolded.
"You're just jealous cause mine comes off" Mike whispered to his cousin.
"No" Sawyer crossed her arms. "I don't want mine to come off. I know that if I keep mine on, I won't get stolen again and my mommy and daddy will find me"
"Whatever" Mike turned his head to look out the window. The two were silent for the remainder of the ride.
When they pulled into the parking lot, Peyton was outside Tric talking to Chase and a delivery man. She turned from the two men when she saw Haley's car. A smile spread over her cheeks as the car pulled up in front of them and Sawyer left the vehicle at a run, crashing into her mother's arms.
"I'd stay and talk, but I have to get back to work" Haley yelled from the driver's seat.
"No problem, thanks for dropping her off" She called back as she lifted Sawyer onto her hip. Haley gave her a wave and pulled out of the parking lot. "So, how was school?"
"Great, Mrs. Kimball's happy cause I'm all caught up in school, but it wasn't hard because you and Daddy made me so smart."
Peyton brushed her fingers over Sawyer's hair. "That was all daddy, now I've got to finish up something here, but we'll go home soon."
"Okay" She was placed on the ground and bound off into the building, high fiving Chase discreetly, while he continued to talk to the liquor delivery man. Peyton watched as Sawyer ran across the large room and opened up her office door, quickly taking a seat on the bean bag chairs in the corner by the CD player. "Dibs on picking the music" She kneeled in front of the shelves, scanning over the vinyl. Her tiny fingers came in contact with one she liked, and she pulled it out, moving to stand in front of the turntable.
The music started and Peyton looked up at her daughter. "The Rolling Stones, good choice baby"
Sawyer smiled and pulled her sketch book out of her backpack before sitting back down in the bean bag chairs. "Mom, I'm hungry. We had snack time at nine, but I haven't had anything since then."
Peyton looked away from her computer screen and pulled open her desk drawer. "I'll give you something to hold you over for now, but we can go out for lunch after I finish up with this." She searched through the junk. "How about a granola bar?"
"That's fine" She stood up and walked to the side of Peyton's desk, taking the snack from her hand.
"Here take my phone to call and see if dad wants to meet us at the Dixie Grill at one"
"Okay" She reached and took the cell phone in her other hand. "Can I go stand on the stage while I call?"
"Sure, but if Chase is bringing in boxes, do not get in his way"
Sawyer nodded and left the office at a run. To her dismay Chase wasn't even at the bar to bother. She normally saw more of him and Mia at parties then she did at her mother's work. He usually came in later. She leapt up onto the stage and took a seat on the stool that had been set up in the center. She left the granola bar to sit her lap while she dialed her father's cell phone.
He answered the phone on the second ring.
"Hello wifey, what's up?"
Sawyer laughed. "Not wife, daughter speaking"
"Sorry goof, what would you like?" He shook his head at his charismatic off spring.
"How is the new team?' Sawyer said referring to the Ravens.
"They're pretty good; we have a good season ahead of us"
"Cool. Do you have practice today?" She enquired.
"Not until later. Why, what's up?"
"Would you like to meet me and mommy at the Dixie Grill at one?"
"Sure, I'll see you guys there"
"Don't tell mommy, but I'm going to sit next to you today at lunch. I don't want to be mean, but I want to"
"Can you hand the phone to mommy?" He asked and Sawyer's mouth dropped.
"You're not going to tell her, are you?" A laugh escaped his throat.
"No, just give her the phone. I promise I won't say anything about who you're sitting next to at lunch today"
"Maybe you shouldn't talk about lunch at all, just to be safe"
"Sawyer, give the phone to your mother silly"
The five year old huffed and jumped off the stage, running back to her mother's office. She placed the phone in her mother's hand and started back towards the stage. "Dad's on the phone!" She yelled behind her and slammed the door, having slid through it.
Peyton admitted a small, short, laugh before raising the speaker up to her cheek. "Hi"
"She's crazy" Lucas leaned into the desk chair.
"I have no idea what went wrong with her" Peyton contemplated. "But I suppose I have to take credit for that, your family's all relatively normal."
"Crazy or not, she was totally worth it."
"I couldn't agree more, but what's up, you meeting us for lunch?"
"Yup, one, I'll see you there"
"Great, but why did you want to speak to me?" She laughed. "You could have left Sawyer to talk to me"
"Just wanted to say hi and that I love you"
"Dork." Peyton snorted. "Love you too" She hung up the phone and turned her attention back to the computer screen to finish her work as quickly as possible. When her work had been completed, she shut her computer and locked it in the desk drawer and then lifted Sawyer's backpack off the bean bag chair and exited the office. Her five year old was sitting at the bar, talking to Chase, content with her snack and whatever cup of juice he'd set her up with.
"Mommy, Chase said I could be the flower girl at the wedding, if you let me"
Peyton smiled, overjoyed at the sentiment. "No way, are you serious?"
"Yea, Mia and I both love her and we couldn't think of someone we'd rather have as our flower girl"
"That's so sweet; Well Sawyer, what do you say?"
"Thank you! And I really want too!" She beamed and jumped down off the stool to take her mother's hand.
"Well Mia and I would be honored" He looked up to Peyton. "I'll have Mia fill you in with the details later"
"Thanks again Chase, this means a lot to her" Her hand came down to rest on Sawyer's blonde curly head and she watched as her green eyes bat up at her. "We have to get going, but I'll see you Friday night when my new band opens."
"Exciting" He smiled. "See you then"
Sawyer skipped in front of her out into the parking lot, where she waited for the backdoor to be unlocked. Climbing into her seat, she buckled herself in and watched as her mother got in the front seat and started the car.
"Will this be my car when I'm older?"
Peyton smiled. She probably wouldn't have it any other way, after all there was a good chance Sawyer had been conceived in the Comet, but she would never admit that out loud. "Would you like it to be?"
"Well duh!" The five year old sassed. "It's only the coolest car ever"
"Dad's Mustang is pretty cool too"
"Ya, but Dad's Mustang didn't have a book written after it"
"You are too right baby; I guess my car is ten times better than daddy's and of course you can have my car when you are older so long as you promise to have less accidents in it then I did."
"I promise, cause car accidents are scary and people die in them, but you're a good driver so I don't know why you ever got in an accident"
"You remember what I told you about my mom?'
"Yes…" Sawyer half whined. "She died when you were little in a car accident…that's why car accidents are bad"
"Yes, but something similar happened to me when I was pregnant with you. Someone ran a red light and hit the side of my car."
"Like with Grandma, except you didn't die"
Peyton laughed. "No kid, you're stuck with me"
"I'm okay with that"
They locked eyes through the rear view. "Good"
They were pulling into the parking lot and both taken by surprise when Lucas pulled in the lot besides them in his Mustang. "Daddy!" The girl cheered from the back seat, quickly unbuckling her straps and scrambling to get out of the car. Her father had his door open in time to catch his five year old in the air.
"Well hello to you too" He greeted Sawyer by placing a kiss on her forehead.
"I'm hungry" She informed him.
"Well good thing we're at a restaurant." Peyton walked around the side of the car to meet them. She tried to inconspicuously place a kiss on his cheek.
"You guys aren't going to kiss again, are you?" she begged, embarrassed.
"We were going to; would you like us to wait until later?"Lucas held Sawyer in his arms, bouncing her lightly.
"Please"
Peyton laughed and leaned in anyway, placing a quick kiss on his lips. "Too bad" She pulled away, but regripped hi s hand. They made their way into the restaurant and enjoyed the rest of their afternoon.
-x—x-
Time was moving by quickly, and too everyone's confusion, with no problems. Karen and Andy took Lily back to their life out at sea and Sawyer and Michael were moving on into their Kindergarten routine. Peyton was content being pregnant like a normal woman and everyone's life was smooth sailing.
Two and a half months had passed since the accident and the Scott's were convinced the worst was over. Maybe they had passed Ian's sick test and he had backed off. They were' forced to believe this for the safety of the children. The five year olds still kept their amber alert bracelets on at all times to secure the sanity of their loving parents. One thing still remained in the back of Peyton Scott's mind; Ian's journal and his obvious plan for revenge. His test.
Peyton was now nearing the end of her first trimester of pregnancy. She had experienced the earlier stages of morning sickness and had even started on some weird cravings that had her kicking Lucas in the middle of the night. Her stomach had protruded into a small, but visible bump that Sawyer liked to call Wills. Why? Well they weren't sure, but didn't ask questions either.
"Mommy" Her voice came out of the darkness, once again waking them from their slumbers late at night.
"Hmm?" Peyton moaned, pressing her face into her pillow.
"Uncle Julian is on the phone" Sawyer whispered.
"What time is it?" She sat up unhappily and clicked her bedside light on.
"Almost four in the morning." Her little voice responded tiredly. "You left the phone in my room and it wouldn't stop ringing, but I looked on the caller id and it was Aunt Brooks cell phone, but Uncle Julian is on the phone and needs to speak to you right now."
"Oh my god" Peyton threw her hands around the phone. "Julian, is it time?" She yelled frantically.
"Peyton, hi, yeah, we're at the hospital. She's got a while to go, but Brooke really wants you here."
"Of course, I'm on my way, do you guys need anything?"
"Actually, yeah, would Lucas mind picking Sam up from the airport around seven, she's booked on the first flight out of Los Angeles and is trying like hell to be here for the birth?"
"Of course he will; I'll let Luke know"
"Thanks Peyton." A smile was heard in his voice. "Just get here when you can"
"I'm on my way, see you soon" She hung up, and looked to Lucas who was now sitting beside her. "Brooke's in labor now. Her and Julian are at the hospital and she wants me there"
He rubbed his eyes and nodded. "That's fine, and what did you sign me up to do?"
"Julian wanted to know if you would pick up Sam from the airport at seven?"
"I can do that; Do you want to head over to the hospital now?"
Peyton threw her legs out from under the covers and moved to stand on the floor. "I'll leave now and you two can get a few more hours of sleep before picking up Sam and meet us at the hospital later."
"Alright, that sounds good" He accepted a kiss from Peyton when she leaned down to place her lips on his. He then smiled as she moved over to place a kiss on Sawyer's forehead.
Peyton left the bedroom quickly in order to get ready and leave her husband to sleep. Sawyer pulled her self up onto the mattress and tapped her dad's chest softly. He peeked open his eyes and smiled. "You can go back to bed for a bit"
She shrugged. "Can I stay here?"
Luke lifted the covers and allowed Sawyer to sink under them.
-x—x-
Lucas was late. It was quarter after seven and he was just pulling into the airport parking lot. Sawyer bounced excitedly in the back seat looking out the window.
"Dad" She yelled. "Sam's right there." He looked through his rear view and turned in the direction in which her fingers were pointed. Sure enough he saw Sam, standing with a duffel bag at the far corner of the pickup lane.
The nineteen year old got in the car as it pulled up beside her. "She couldn't keep the damn kid in her for one more week? I have finals this week, before Thanksgiving Break." Sam turned to look at Sawyer who was smiling gleefully as they pulled away from the curb. "Hey Shorty"
"Hi Sam! Are you excited for the new baby?"
"You could say that" She side glanced at Lucas. "They send me the silent one"
"Hi Samantha" Luke lowered his eyes at her before giving his attention back to the road.
"A man of many words; I like that" She winked at him and Luke merely shook his head. Sawyer smiled from the back seat.
At the hospital, the Scotts and the Bakers were all shoved into a tiny room. Brooke, in pain, lay in the bed with Julian at her side, gripping her tired hand. Nathan coddled Emily, who was unhappy about being awake. Michael, Jamie and Sawyer took over the only chairs in the room while Nathan, Haley, Samantha, Luke and Peyton all vacated the left side of the hospital bed. It was safe to say the room was over packed. They all hung out, nervous and anxious about the new arrival. At around eleven am Brooke was moved into the delivery room and were told by Julian that it would be about an hour and a half before they had a baby.
They all decided it would be best to wait in the cafeteria and feed the children. There was so much excitement while they all waited around the table, snacking on cheap and plastic tasting food.
"Mommy, it's going to be a girl, right?" Sawyer asked Peyton, who was snuggled in against Lucas' side.
"Yes baby, it is"
"What's her name going to be?" She munched on a chocolate chip cookie and smiled when her father rolled his eyes.
"We don't know yet" He answered for her and watched as she brushed it off by shrugging her shoulders.
Peyton turned to Lucas. Maybe the worst was behind them?
Maybe…