Chapter 14: The Appointment that Changed Everything…

(The gang had decided to pack up and leave from the park instead of leaving Christmas Eve day. Peyton still had some shopping to do and dinner to make and they wanted the whole day at Peyton's place instead of arriving later in the evening. Also Peyton wanted to get to the doctor because she didn't feel right and they said they could get her in on Christmas Eve because it was an emergency. Ellie has asked Lucas to stay for Christmas which made him happy. The gang was finally after all these years going to spend Christmas together. Peyton was downstairs making breakfast. She looked like hell and felt even worse. The trip to Disneyland did a number on her. Once again Lucas was the first one up. He walked into the kitchen and poured a cup of coffee but this time he walks out and sat in the living room. Brooke came down next, got a cup of coffee and sat at the counter in the kitchen)

Brooke: What time's your appointment?
Peyton: 9:30

Brooke: You want me to go with you?
Peyton: No that's ok. I have some shopping to do before I come home so no big deal

Lucas: (overhearing the conversation walking back into the kitchen) you have some shopping to do today?

Peyton: Yeah I need to pick up a few more things.

Lucas: Great can I go with you? I brought a few gifts but because it so expensive to bring extra luggage on the plane now I planned to finish up when I got here and I haven't had the chance

Peyton: I have a doctor's appointment first and then I have to stop by the night club and see where things are at… It's going to be a long day

Lucas: really I don't mind I mean I don't know my way around LA that well and after talking to Ellie I'd like to get her something a little more personal then what I already brought. Plus there are a few things I need for Jamie too.

Brooke: I think that'd be a great idea! I'm it's silly for Lucas to take a cab into to town when you're already going there and you only have 1 car! I'll keep Ellie for you!

Peyton: (looking reluctantly) Ok, fine!

Lucas: (Smiling) Great. What are you making? It smells great!
Ellie: (appearing in the doorway) what she makes me every day!
Lucas: What's that?
Ellie: Cinnamon French toast! It's my favorite!

Lucas: Mine too (he's realizing that Ellie is more like him than he thought. He can't believe how much they have in common)

Peyton: It's almost done so have a seat at the table and I'll bring it over

Brooke: Nathan and Haley sure do sleep late!

Peyton: oh no they're gone!

Brooke: Where are they?
Peyton: they went to breakfast they said they need some alone time!
Brooke: Where's Jamie

Peyton: He's still asleep. Nathan said he was up last night until about 3 in the morning and we should expect to see him until noon!

Brooke: I guess my babysitting job will be easy then!

Peyton: (carrying the tray for French toast to the table and taking one off and putting on the plate in front of Ellie and starting to cut it) Oh, no. You're not getting off that easy!
Brooke: What?
Peyton: We have more people here than I expect so you have to take your skinny butt down into the basement and bring up the rest of the Christmas dishes and wash them!

Brooke: I hate basements!

Ellie: Ours isn't scary Aunt Brooke. I'll help you

Brooke: Ok thanks sweetheart

Ellie: You're welcome

Peyton: I'm going to go get dressed. Luke, we need to leave in about ½ hour.
Lucas: Ok

(Peyton walks away and Brooke, Lucas, and Ellie eat their breakfast. They are talking amongst themselves having a great time. Lucas is the happiest he's ever been and he doesn't think the smile will ever leave his face)

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(Peyton is sitting in the doctor's office. Lucas is sitting next to her. She is very uncomfortable having him there but he instead on coming in. She just kept reading her magazine and he reading his book.)

Peyton: you know the mall is right down the road you could take the car and go to the mall and I can call you when I'm done

Lucas: But then I'll be done shopping and you'll still need to and then I'll just have to follow you around the mall.

Peyton: You know how much I love that!
Lucas: Exactly so I might a well just stay here. I won't go in with you!
Peyton: well duh!

(A nurse walks into the waiting room. She is holding a chart. She recognizes Peyton and smiles at her)

Nurse: Hey Peyton. Where's Ellie?
Peyton: Hi Grace. She's at home with one of my friends

Grace: Oh I was hoping to see her. Will you tell her hi for me
Peyton: I sure will

(Peyton goes to a family doctor office that takes children and adults. There are several doctors and nurses and all the nurses know and love Ellie. They got to know Peyton well because she was always worried about Ellie and calling them all the time. Luckily she's calmed down since Ellie's gotten older)

Grace: Follow me

Peyton: Ok

(Peyton and Grace walk down a hallway and into an examining room. The nurse hands her a gown.)

Grace: So what are you here for today?
Peyton: I'm pregnant but I just don't feel right.

Grace: when did you find out?
Peyton: Last week
Grace: Home Pregnancy Test

Peyton: Yes

Grace: Is this your first doctor's visit since?
Peyton: Yes

Grace: Ok Dr. Johnson will be with you in a few minutes and I'm sure everything is fine. Each pregnancy is different

Peyton: Ok thanks

(Grace walks out of the room and Peyton sits looking at a magazine. A tall skinny woman walks into the room. She smiles at Peyton)

Peyton: Hi, Dr. Johnson

Dr.: Hey Peyton. How are you? Where's Ellie? The nurses were hoping to hang out with her while you were getting checked out

Peyton: My friends are in town for Christmas so she's home with them

Dr: Oh, well tell her we missed her today

Peyton: I will

Dr: Ok, so what's going on?
Peyton: I took a home pregnancy test and it came back positive I'm just here for a check up

Dr: (looking at her chart) you're on birth control?
Peyton: Yeah, the patch

Dr: Did you stop using it?
Peyton: Yes, after I found out

Dr: Good… Well let's take a look and see

(Dr. Johnson performs a physical exam on Peyton. She tries not to have a worried look on her face when she looks at Peyton but she's pretty sure she is not pregnant. Dr. Johnson stands up and smiles at Peyton)

Dr. I'd like to run a few more tests, ok

Peyton: (white as a sheet) Ok…

Dr: I'll be right back.

Peyton: Ok

(When she was pregnant with Ellie the doctor did a physical exam and that was that. There weren't extra tests or doctors leaving the room. What's wrong with her? Why does the doctor need to run more tests? Dr. Johnson appear with an ultrasound machine and Grace to take some vials of blood)

Dr.: Ok, Peyton this a special ultrasound machine. It doesn't show the picture on the screen but instead takes a more comprehensive picture of the uterus. It takes about 15 minutes to develop. Also, Grace is going to get a blood sample

Peyton: Ok

Dr: Are you here alone?
Peyton: No, my friend is here with me but I don't think he should come back here

Dr: Let me finish the exam and then he can come and wait with you….

Peyton: (Scared now, whispering) ok….

(The doctor takes pictures and puts the gown back down)

Dr. Ok, you can relax now I'm done. It's going to be a little while but we'll have this figured out in no time. It's going to be ok, Peyton…
Peyton: (looking worried) Ok…what's wrong with me?
Dr: I'm not sure so I don't want to worry you

Peyton: But I'm not pregnant?
Dr: No, I don't think so

Peyton: Ok, is it cancer?

Dr: I can't say that yet, Peyton. What's your friend's name?
Peyton: (barely able to stay focused on the doctor, whispering) Lucas… Lucas Scott

Dr: I'll get him for you

Peyton: Ok

(Peyton sits in the examining room her whole life rushing through her head. She'll have to prepare Ellie to move to Tree Hill and live with Lucas and funeral arrangement and the house, label, night club. Oh what if she has to go on chemo, or be in the hospital. Who will take care of Ellie? What is she going to do? She isn't ready to leave her daughter. Tears are streaming down her face. Lucas walks into the room and sees Peyton. He rushes over to her and grabs her hand)

Lucas: What's the matter? They told me that I needed to come and wait with you… Isn't a pregnancy test cut and dry?

Peyton: It should have been…
Lucas: Peyton what's the matter?

Peyton: She doesn't think that I'm pregnant.

Lucas: Then what could it be?
Peyton: Cancer

(Lucas drops in the chair next to the bed. His face goes as white as a sheet. He can't believe he heard those words out of her mouth)

Lucas: What?
Peyton: I'm scared

Lucas: Me too. Do you want me to call Julian?
Peyton: No, will you just wait with me?
Lucas: Of course. I could call Brooke
Peyton: No, Lucas I just want you to wait with me…
Lucas: Ok, Peyton

(Lucas sits next to the bed and holds Peyton's hand. They don't say much they just sit and wait. It feels like it's been forever when Dr. Johnson walks back into the room. She doesn't have a smile on her face but she doesn't look as worried as she did before.)

Dr: Let me relieve some of the tension on your face. I'm almost positive it's not cancerous

Peyton: What does almost mean?
Dr: I can't tell you its not cancer until I do a biopsy but the size and the locate indicates that it's just a cyst

Peyton: So I'm not pregnant?
Dr: No, I'm so sorry

Peyton: Oh, (looking sad) ok so what's wrong with me?
Dr: You have gestational trophoblastic cysts

Peyton: What does that mean?
Dr: Ok, well this takes two forms in the body. One is tumors which are cancerous and spread outside of the uterus. The other form, which you have, is cysts that stay in the uterus and with a D and C can be taken care of. It's called a molar pregnancy. The sperm and egg cells have joined without the development of a baby in the uterus. Instead, the tissue that is formed resembles grape-like cyst. The hormones of being pregnant develop along with the morning sickness and other side effects of being pregnant. It tricks your body into think you're pregnant. Luckily you came in when you did because going undetected it can form into cancerous tumors.

Peyton: So what do we do know?
Dr: We need to schedule you to have surgery to remove the cyst and a precautionary chemo wash of the uterus just to be safe. Then I'll send the cyst to the lab to make sure it's not cancerous.

Peyton: How soon can we do that?
Dr. Johnson: The day after Christmas if you want

Peyton: yes, please let's get it done and over with

Dr.: Stop at the front desk and make the appointment and I'll see you in two days. It's going to be ok, Peyton. We know you can't leave Ellie and we'll do everything to make sure that happens

Peyton: thank you

(Dr. Johnson gives her a hug and then walks out of the room. Lucas was holding her hand the whole time. He doesn't let go. She looks down at him and he smiles at her)

Lucas: She's almost positive it's not cancer

Peyton: what if it is?
Lucas; Then I'll stay and help you with Ellie and Brooke will stay and drive you to your appointments. We'll help you however we can

Peyton: You're a great friend, Lucas

Lucas: thanks

Peyton: Let's not tell the others until after Christmas.
Lucas: Peyton…

Peyton: No, I think it's better that way. Let's just put happy faces on and worry about this later

Lucas: Whatever you want.

Peyton: thanks, are you ready to go shopping?
Lucas: You up to it?
Peyton: Of course! (genuinely smiling at him)
Lucas: Ok then. I'll be in the waiting room

(Lucas gets up and walks out of the room tears start streaming down his face. Peyton can't have cancer she just cant. Why do bad things always happen to good people? He walks down the hall and sits in the waiting room. He's going to make this the best Christmas Peyton and Ellie have ever had just in case…)

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(Brooke is down in the creepy basement trying to find the Christmas stuff Peyton had sent her down there to get. Jamie and Ellie are chasing each other around and laughing. Jamie reaches for Ellie to tag her but pushes her too hard and Ellie knocks over one of the boxes. She falls to the ground but doesn't cry. She just gets up and shoves him back)

Jamie: Hey!
Ellie: You pushed me first!
Jamie: I didn't mean too

Brooke: ok you two. Stop pushing each other and clean up that mess you made!
Jamie: What is it anyway?
Ellie: I don't know. Some books and old pictures I guess

Jamie: Oh, that's Uncle Lucas' book

Ellie: Uncle Lucas wrote a book?
Jamie: Yeah my dad says its all about Aunt Peyton!
Ellie: Uncle Lucas wrote a book about my mommy?
Jamie: Yeah, (tipping the box right side up) and it looks like your mom bought a lot of copies of it.

Ellie: Yeah and one day I was playing with it and Uncle Julian got kind of mad and mommy made me put it away. What else is in the box?
Jamie: I don't know

Brooke: (on the other side of the basement) what you are two doing?
Jamie: Picking up the stuff that fell out of the box

Brooke: Just don't mess anything up!
Ellie: We wont

Brooke: Ok (she mumbles something under her breath and continues to look through boxes)

(Jamie and Ellie pull everything out of the box they just knocked over. There are a ton of books, pictures, drawings and CDs. They start looking at all of them)

Ellie: (picking up a picture) That's mommy and Uncle Lucas!

Jamie: Yeah I think they are in high school there

Ellie: really?

Jamie: Yeah

Ellie: (picking up another picture) Look they are kissing in this one! Why were they kissing? Did they love each other?

Jamie: I think so

Ellie: (picking up a CD) what does this say, Jamie?
Jamie: (looking at the CD) Songs to remind you of me

Ellie: (looking at more pictures) My mommy is really smiling in all of these pictures. She looks really happy.

Jamie: Yeah she does

Ellie: Did Uncle Lucas and mommy get a divorce
Jamie: No they were never married

Ellie: Oh…

(Brooke comes over to check on the kids and looks at what they are looking at.)

Brooke: (loudly) what are you guys doing?
Jamie: We knocked this box over and we're just picking it up. We were looking at some of the stuff and Ellie was asking me questions.

Brooke: Like what, honey?
Ellie: (holding up the picture of Peyton and Lucas kissing) why is my mommy kissing Uncle Lucas?
Brooke: (sitting down on the floor and putting Ellie on her lap) Well honey when we were in high school Uncle Lucas was your mommy's boyfriend

Ellie: Were they in love?
Brooke: Very much so…

Ellie: Did they get a divorce?
Jamie: I already told you no!
Ellie: I know but I want Aunt Brooke to tell me!
Brooke: No, honey. You're mommy and Lucas didn't get a divorce because they never got married

Ellie: If they loved each other why didn't they get married?
Brooke: It's too complicated

Ellie: that's what mommy always says when she doesn't want to tell me something

Brooke: (laughing) All grown-ups do that

Ellie: So if mommy dated Uncle Lucas when she lived in Tree Hill then he knows my daddy right?

Brooke: (gasping at the question that comes out of Ellie's mouth) I don't know

Jamie: Aunt Peyton said we shouldn't lie….

Brooke: Ok then I guess you could say he knows your daddy

Ellie: (picking up another picture) Hey this one's at the park that mommy takes me to. I thought mommy only dated Uncle Lucas in Tree Hill

Brooke: (oh shit here we go) You know we better get this cleaned up before your mommy gets home

Ellie: Fine, ok!

(The kids pick up the contents of the box and put it back. Brooke finally finds the dishes and they all go upstairs. Peyton and Lucas are walking in the door but Nathan and Haley have yet to return. Ellie runs over and hugs her mommy. Peyton puts down her packages and picks her daughter up and spins her around)

Ellie: You were gone a long time mommy

Peyton: I know and I'm sorry but I'm home now and I bought stuff to make cut out cookies!

Ellie: Yeah!
Jamie: I love making cookies

Peyton: Great why do you too go clean up and we'll get started.
Lucas: Where do you want your bags?
Peyton: Under the tree. It was a great idea to have them wrapped at the mall.

Lucas: I hate wrapping that's why I suggested it.

Peyton: Now I have more time to bake cookies with the kids

Lucas: I'll help

Peyton: Ok

(Lucas gives Peyton a look and Brooke sees it. She can tell by the look in Peyton's eyes that something is going on.)

Brooke: Ok, what'd he do?
Peyton: Huh?
Brooke: What did Lucas do while you were out?
Peyton: Nothing why?
Brooke: because you've been crying and look so sad

Peyton: Oh, it's because I found out I wasn't pregnant

Brooke: What?! I saw the test with my own eyes

Peyton: False positive. A defective test or something like that

Brooke: Oh, Peyton I'm so sorry

Peyton: It's ok the timing isn't right anyway with Julian and I at odds. It's for the better

Lucas: (walking in) ok, I put the presents under the tree

Brooke: (hugging Lucas) I'm glad you were there for Peyton today

Lucas: (not sure what to say because thought they weren't telling anyone) Oh, no problem

Peyton: I told her I wasn't pregnant and that it was a defective test

Lucas: Yeah, I feel bad about that Peyton
Peyton: I'm ok

Brooke: What is taking those monkeys so long?
Peyton: I don't know

Brooke: I'll go check
Peyton: thanks I'll get the stuff out

(Brooke walks away. Lucas walks over and hugs Peyton. She turns and hugs him back. Then she quickly pulls away.)

Peyton: She knew something was wrong so I had to tell her something

Lucas: Its ok.

Peyton: thanks for everything Lucas.

Lucas: No problem

Peyton: Let's just have fun the rest of the day

Lucas: Ok, sounds perfect… just make sure to only add a pinch of salt to the cookie dough!

(Peyton starts laughing and play slaps him. The kids and Brooke walk into the room, They all start getting stuff out to make cookies. They look like the perfect family and they are going to have a great time… that is how it should be!)

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A/N: A little twist there! Let me know what you think…