A/N Firstly, Happy New Year :) Thank you for all the support guys, This is my present to you all! I had a bit of free time and managed to get this done super quick. I hope you all enjoy!
Brooke Davis was not happy to say the least. She'd been up since five and something was yet to work in her favour. Everything was going horribly wrong and the latest drama was the tip of the iceberg. Peyton Wolf had seemingly disappeared from the face of the earth and to make matters worse and aggravate her already raging temper, nobody was answering their phones.
She stormed down the vacant hallway's before thundering through the studio doors.
She momentarily froze, taking in the somewhat familiar school set and more prominently the cheerleaders in their cheer outfits that were so very like the one buried in the back of her closet.
It was like a blast from the past.
'Cut' Julian's interruption garnered her attention and she lithely walked toward the cluster of people behind the camera's.
'Babe' He stood up instantly, his brow raised in surprise, but his smile demonstrating his fondness for the brunette. He kissed her sweetly before querying this surprise visit. 'What're you doing here? Is everything okay' Apparently he'd picked up on her not so calm vibes.
She sighed dramatically. 'Everything's fine'
'Yeah?' He smiled, her pout clearly suggested otherwise.
'I'll tell you about it later' She eyed the real reason for her abrupt visit. 'Do you mind if I steal him for a minute?'
Julian followed her finger to his screen writer. 'Er, sure' He pecked her lips again. 'As long as I get him back in one piece' He teased, his eyes already back on the scene that was being rehearsed.
'I don't make any promises' Brooke muttered under her breath as she stalked towards her prey. Without so much as a warning, she wove her fingers into his shirt, jerking him from his seat.
Lucas Scott, jumped, dropping his script. 'Ow, Brooke' He groaned, stumbling over his feet as she all but dragged him from the studio, only releasing him from her deadly claws once they reached a quiet, currently unused set of a locker room.
'What did you do?' She demanded.
'Excuse me?' Lucas rubbed his arm, a frown on his face.
'What did you do?' Brooke repeated, a little fiercer this time.
'What do you mean? I haven't done anything? What have I done?' Lucas took a little step back. He'd learnt in the past that it was best to take precautions when it came to Brooke Penelope Davis. You never truly knew when she was going to spontaneously combust.
'Peyton's refusing to come in for this huge shoot today. I've got a lot of people, a lot of fucking contracts riding on this shoot, on this fucking line and suddenly she's not coming in' Brooke exclaimed.
'Why is that my fault?'
'Because Lucas, I know you, I know what you're capable of. You've turned her into a poor lovesick disaster'
'I wish' He scoffed. 'She's certainly not lovesick. Look I have no clue why she's not coming in but it's got absolutely nothing to do with me' He shoved his hands in his pockets, his brow furrowed as he contemplated what possible reason that could have the non stop model to skip out, to skip out on something that was clearly a big deal.
'You've not made plans?'
'Nope. Peyton doesn't make plans. She makes demands, demands that usually happen without little notice' He muttered. 'Look, do you want me to go talk to her? Find out what's going on?'
'I tried that, she's got her phone off and-'
This new bit of information had his stomach in knots.
'So you haven't even spoken to her?' He stood abruptly as a surge of anxiety over Peyton's whereabouts succeeded in propelling him toward the door. 'I'll go over there'
'Lucas' Brooke followed.
'I'll go over there, when I've spoken to her, I'll ring you. Okay?' He didn't wait for her response, leaving her on set as he quickly made his way out into the real world.
Lucas knocked on the door several times before trying the handle, it opened effortlessly. It wasn't the first time he'd managed to let himself into her apartment and he made a mental note to order her to start locking it, for the sake of his sanity.
'Peyton?!' He looked around sheepishly. It was quiet, too quiet for his liking and his wild imagination had notified him of all the possible horrific scenarios that could greet him. He took an obvious sigh of relief when he turned the corner into the living area, getting a visual on the curly haired blonde. 'Thank god' He muttered to himself.
'Let me guess, Brooke called you' Peyton assumed, her gaze diverting to him for the briefest of moments in way of acknowledgement.
'Worse, she came found me'
'Wow, I'm sorry' She offered him a small smile.
'I can handle her' He sat down beside her. 'What's up Peyt?'
She let out a heavy breath, not one of aggravation but literally at the sound of his voice put together with the shorter version of her name. 'It's nothing, I'm just, I just feel like having a day to myself'
'Now if only that were true'
Her hands found their way round her legs and she rested her head upon her knees as she looked up at him through long eye lashes.
'Shouldn't you be working?' It wasn't said with animosity, more curiosity.
'Yeah, Brooke's got Julian wrapped around her little finger though'
'Of course'
'She's worried, you're not answering your phone'
'No' She agreed. The irritating cell had been turned off and chucked across the apartment when it had buzzed for the hundredth time.
'I was worried. What's wrong?' He shifted closer, her sombre expression warranting his arm to move around her in a side hug.
She uncharacteristically lent into him and Lucas wasn't deaf to the shaky breath that broke free from her quivering bottom lip. Her state did little to stop his apparent worry.
'Peyton, you can tell me anything'
She'd never shown him this side of her and it scared him. He needed her to be the strong invincible Peyton that he bickered with so frequently. 'Baby' He gently pulled her hair behind her ear and left a lingering kiss to her forehead. 'Talk to me' He insisted gruffly this time.
'Layla Vermont' She finally indulged him. The name coming out surprisingly even, apparently she'd managed to compose herself in the last sixty seconds. She sat upright, putting some space between them.
'The model?'
'The model' She confirmed curtly.
'Er, she's doing the shoot too?' He could only assume.
'Right'
Lucas watched her, trying his best to understand what was going on in her head. 'You're, you're jealous?'
Her eyes jolted to him, her glare suggesting that that most definitely wasn't the case.
'No, you think I'm that fucking vain?' She glowered.
'No, no, of course not I just, I don't understand' He admitted quickly.
Peyton stood up and ventured over to her beloved piano, her hand skimming over the smooth top in nothing but a loving caress.
'She's a year older than me, one year and my dad was fucking her last summer' She spat out vehemently.
His mouth inevitably opened and a silence loomed. Lucas struggled to digest that sudden bit of information and when the void became too big, Peyton's head swivelled to see his reaction. His facial expression hadn't changed much in the last few minutes, his jaw was still hanging low and his brow knitted together, whether in confusion or pure disgust Peyton wasn't quite sure.
'Yeah exactly' She nodded, his stunned face really did sum it up. 'Did I mention my family's screwed up?'
He swallowed, shaking himself from his unhelpful stupor. 'That's...'
'Gross? Utterly and completely wrong?' She shuddered with disdain and he immediately stood up, the need to comfort and protect her was overwhelming.
'God Peyton I'm sorry-'
She took a little step back wavering her hand to stop the embrace that he had every intention of swaddling her in.
'I don't blame him, I don't blame him for all the infidelities- I know I'm meant to hate him for it, I mean, growing up there was more than one time where I was used as a pawn in his deceit. I should hate him for that, for letting me see, for making me carry around those lies' She took a much in need breath.
He couldn't begin to imagine the effects of this burden. It was yet another well kept secret of the Wolf family, another secret that, judging by her flustered face, he was confident she'd not told another soul. A secret that was without a doubt, a fundamental explanation to her disdain and avid disbelief in love. It was a deafening awakening to her relationship issues.
'I can hardly blame him, not when his wife is my fucking screwed up mother' She muttered.
'Peyton' Lucas forcefully grabbed her unsettled hands.
'I can't pose standing next to her- I just, I can't. She's been with my dad' She shivered. 'I can't, I can't-'
'Hey, it's okay. No one is making you do anything' Lucas interjected sternly. 'I'll ring Brooke. I'll tell her'
'Lucas' She shook her head, worrying her bottom lip, her breaths coming in sporadic bouts. 'This can't get out'
'Do you trust me?' He asked tenderly, his eyes trained on hers.
Her eye lashes flickered as her lids closed off the troubled pools of green below.
'Peyton?' He urged softly. He couldn't say it didn't hurt a little, the fact that she still wasn't one hundred percent sure that she could trust him.
'Yes' She resolved with a little curt nod.
His cooler fingers squeezed hers in reassurance. 'I trust Brooke and I promise you she won't tell anyone'
'Thanks for doing this Brooke'
'It was no biggy, it wasn't much of a deliberation really. Peyton Wolf or Layla Vermont?'
He laughed. 'I guess not, so what did you tell Layla Vermont?' Lucas asked out of interest as he stood with Brooke. Her foul mood had changed for the better since he'd last seen her.
'I told her I don't have sluts working for my company' She answered simply.
Lucas raised his brow disbelievingly.
'Okay, well maybe a politer version, but you get the gist' She smiled up at him. 'Thank you by the way, you kind of saved my ass today'
He shook his head.
'At least I definitely know my Snow Queen has a heart' She joked.
Lucas rolled his eyes.
'Speaking of, has she given it to you yet?'
'I'm still working on it' He grumbled, running his hand through his hair.
'Hang in there buddy' She squeezed his arm.
'Miss Davis, we're about to start'
Brooke grinned excitedly at him 'Come, this photo shoot will definitely cheer you up!'
Peyton slid her ballet flats off, leaving them at the foot of his made bed.
'You kind of saved me today Lucas Scott' She said quietly, the pale green of the walls made her eyes seem ever greener.
'Saved you?'
'In a metaphoric sense' She quickly looked away. 'Thank you'
'Wow? Did you actually just say thank you? Thank you?'
She shoved him. 'I know I'm a bitch, there's no need to rub it in'
'I didn't say that' He took her forearms, his thumbs grazing over the bare skin just below her shoulders.
'You don't need to-'
'You're not a bitch Peyton, in fact I think you're quite the opposite'
Her lips curled upward in a slight, bashful smile and then she was sliding past him, trying to hide the blush that was creeping up her cheeks.
He saw.
'I like your room' She averted her attention to the surrounding space. 'It feels...homey' It had changed dramatically since she'd first stood in what had been an empty room with nothing but a bed, since their all night unpacking stint the whole apartment looked different.
'Thank you' His smile was one of amusement as he watched her drop onto the double bed, her small frame bouncing once before she threw her arms back and stretched out like a cat, her eyes closed.
'I like your bed'
'I like you on my bed' He chortled.
She opened one eye, a demure smile touching her lips.
'Did you enjoy the shoot?' She fingered the soft sheets beneath her as she studied the ceiling.
His feet thumped lightly as he walked the two paces to the bed, sitting down on the edge of the mattress beside her svelte form. 'Watching you posing in a bunch of swim suits? What wasn't there to like?'
'Which one did you like best?'
He squinted at her, her mischievous tone and lack of eye contact was unsettling.
'The dark red, crimson thing, definitely. You looked...' His hand slid over her stomach, settling at her side. His mouth had gone dry at the mental image. 'I have no words'
She adjusted her head on the pillow and he let his eyes flutter down her neckline. Her skin was still all oily from the photo shoot and shimmering enticingly.
'I thought so'
'You thought so huh?'
'Uhuh, you went all squinty'
'Squinty? I don't squint?'
'Yes' She corrected. 'Yes you do'
'I do not'
She shook her head and bit down on her grinning bottom lip. 'Yes' Her hand shifted from the bed to her thigh. 'You' Lucas' intense stare followed her slow movements as she tugged the floral material of her dress up her leg. 'Do' His mouth opened and his eyes scrunched up predictably as the crimson of the bikini briefs came into view.
'Oh dear god' There was no hope. He'd lasted this past week so well, he'd kept to his word when he'd said no sex until she conceded to his little requirement. He'd barely touched her, which I might add was a task within it's self, in fear of loosing control of his insatiable lust for her.
His dark eyes lazily found their way to her face. 'That's just' He swallowed. 'That's just cruel'
'Why?' She asked innocently.
'You fucking know why' He more or less pounced on her, he abruptly gripped her hip and shifted himself over her, his mouth covering hers instantly.
A gasp followed by a loud moan from deep in her throat resounded against his lips as their tongues battled.
She'd missed this.
It had been just seven days but she could safely say she'd missed this closeness, it was like a drug, she'd had a taste for it and she never wanted it to stop. It couldn't stop, it just couldn't.
He didn't want it to stop but he was the one that pulled away, panting heavily.
'Peyton-'
'We're just kissing Luke' She cut him off dismissively, uninterested to his objections.
'I can't just kiss you' He complained, a fact she was well aware of as his hands groped up and down her torso.
'You don't have to just kiss me' She enlightened him gleefully while her fingers did their own eager exploring.
He groaned into her neck as she shifted her limbs to more comfortably accommodate him above her. 'You're not playing fair' He informed her gruffly when one of her legs found it's way around him, pulling him closer.
'We're just kissing Luke'
He looked at her through burning eyes. 'You're making this a dangerous game'
'Am I?' Her eyebrow kinked playfully as she rocked her body oh so slowly against him. She was confident, and she had every right to be but he wasn't stupid, he could play her game too.
He suppressed a whimper at the delightful friction. The last week had been nothing but hell and he was certain he deserved a medal for his amazing self control.
'I can play too' He husked into her ear.
She was going to reply, she had a witty remark on the tip of her tongue but his hand that had been safely interlocked with hers had suddenly broke free, sliding it's way between their bodies to the one place she craved him most. She almost sobbed when he touched her.
He kissed her lips again and she was too distracted this time to notice the wicked glint in his eyes. She was completely at his command, not to say he wasn't completely dominated by every movement and sound that emitted from her. His fingers worked skillfully against the nylon, intent on satisfying her. Her dress was completely scrunched up at her waist and he adoringly circled her belly button with butterfly kisses.
'You're, you're so good at, at this' She rasped, her head thrown back in utter bliss.
'Yeah?' He whispered back with a sly grin, he let a finger skim teasingly beneath the material and she whimpered but then, in a blink of an eye, in one instant his hand was gone 'I'm thirsty, I'm going to go get a drink' He was off and away from her in less than a second. 'Want anything?'
Her face was screwed up in discomfort and it pained him maybe just as much as her. 'Don't you dare-'
'Just say it' He interrupted, pausing in his exit. He waited patiently for her to give in.
'Lucas' She gritted her teeth in exasperation.
'Okay, I'm going to grab that drink'
'Urgh' She rolled onto her stomach, throwing her head into the pillow. 'I hate you!'
Her cheeks were still flushed and her dress creased when she staggered out of the room just minutes later. She peered around the fridge watching him pour himself a glass of orange juice.
'Look I, I promise' She took a heavy breath. 'If it bothers you that much I, I guess I can promise not to see anyone else'
Lucas put his glass down, a smug grin on his face.
Peyton on the other hand, found the floor to be of interest.
'Are you committing yourself to me Peyton Wolf?'
'No' She snapped suddenly, her gaze jerking to him. That's what she couldn't handle. Commitment. She wouldn't be obligated to him.
'But you won't see anyone else?'
'Right. That doesn't mean you get any say in anything I do, you don't get to hold my hand in public, or at all actually. You don't buy me presents, we don't celebrate birthday's or Christmas's together, there's no family gatherings-'
'So basically every thing's the same as it already is?'
'No. I said I won't see anyone else- that's what you want right?'
'No-'
'You want me to see other people?'
'No' He exclaimed harshly. 'No. But you're already not seeing other people. I want you Peyton. I just want you, all of you. I want to know everything about you and I want to go places with you and I want to hold your hand'
'Lucas-'
'I know, I know right? You can't do that'
'Maybe I should go' She suggested despondently.
'No' He slammed his hand down against the side board in frustration. 'Jesus Peyton, I'm not your fucking father, I'm not going to screw around behind you're back-'
Her face turned to stone and blanched. 'What?'
'You heard'
'It's got nothing to do with that' She growled lowly.
'I think it does, you may not even be aware of it but it really does.'
'I'm going' She turned.
'When I was in my last year of high school my father shot my uncle' He shouted after her.
Peyton halted, her back to him.
'You're not the only one with a screwed up family Peyton' His voice was gentle this time, he needed her to see that they weren't so different, that the idea of them being together wasn't completely unfathomable.
She pushed her tongue to the roof of her mouth.
'I'm not asking you to marry me. I'm just asking for a chance' He walked over to her rigid form, one hand sliding round her waist and pulling her back against his taut chest, while the other ran delicately down her arm. 'I've never been able to tell anyone what my father did, you're the first' He admitted softly, leaving a lingering kiss on her shoulder. 'I trust you, I want to tell you everything'
'I don't know how to be a girlfriend Lucas, I, I've never, I've never really been in a relationship' She gulped out, almost inaudibly.
He smiled softly into her hair. 'I'll walk you through it, we'll take baby steps'
'I'm screwed up more than you know'
'Everyone's screwed up Peyton, I'm screwed up. We can be screwed up together' He turned her gently, tilting her head up at him. 'Say it'
She swallowed. 'I, I'll' She exhaled loudly through her nose.
'Yes?'
There was a lengthy pause.
'I, I'll be. I'll be your girlfriend'