Flashbacks in Italics

Chapter Twenty:

Later that afternoon Peyton was sitting out on the back patio nursing a cup of iced tea and talking to the other Californian who was making his appearance known in Tree Hill for a short time.

"You did what?"

She asked suprised. The man had come for a visit no more than five minutes ago and had bombarded her with the accounts if his last couple of hours. Chris took his place next to her his own cold cup freezing the inside of his hands as he set it on the step below wiping his hands dry on the thigh of his jeans.

"I might have claimed that Nathan and Haley were cheerleaders of team you and Lucas."

Stitching her eyebrows together her mouth open slightly ajar her facial features were nothing more than shock and confusion getting a quick mental image of Nathan in a blue and white cheer uniform before she slapped the back of Chris' head.

"Why would you do that for?"

"Basically just to annoy Lindsay whenever it was she decided to show up when she realized she had no other place to go other than to her in-laws."

"Keller!"

Again her hand managed to meet with the backside of Chris Keller's face; there was a sound of loud painful patting.

"Ouch!" he rubbed where her hand print would have been visible if it wasn't covered by his hair. "Will you stop doing that?" He knew she still wasn't a person who followed rules lightly so he wasn't surprised when he felt a small sting in the middle of his head. "Fine. Next time I'll let you help the banner!" Another slap to his poor defensive head.

"You know that I could probably do this all day."

"Yeah and you're probably the reason why so many of my brain cells are dead to begin with."

"No. That's just your stupidity and the fact that you really never had any from the start."

"Hey, I resent that."

The seriousness of where this conversation was supposed to go was gone for just a second replaced by a good old raillery that was always had by the two.

"You still probably shouldn't have done that."

"Give me one reason why I shouldn't have."

Chris suddenly groaned. He could feel that he was about to get a mother lecture from Peyton as soon as the sentence left his lips and her eyes turned one shade darker mustering up her authoritarian. He's only had one other conversation with her like that before and it was one that left him almost peeing his pants.

If it was one thing that Peyton Sawyer vowed never to do when she had children it was to run a red light. Well eight red lights later she wasn't the poster mom for driver of the year, but then again receiving a call from the security station at the mall informing you that your son was found crying and alone in one of the pet stores wasn't going to get her to follow driving rules anytime soon. She quickly found her small boy sitting on one of the metal chairs his legs dangling in the air.

"Oh, baby."

She almost cried out the terrified look on both mother and son had vanquished as soon as they noticed their loved one was there safe and sound. Her little man jumped into her waiting arms burying his head into the crook of her neck and his blonde hair meshed smoothly against her jaw while she sent feverish kisses on top of the boy's head.

"Mommy!"

He was five at the time; only five years old. Peyton couldn't help but think how lucky she was that she wasn't one of those moms on the evening news begging for the return of their lost child and so she was grateful to the three guardian angels that watched over her and her family; Anna, Ellie, and Keith.

"How long has he been here?"

She turned to look at the male security guard reading the badge that was placed on his chest; it read 'Mall Cop' and if Peyton wasn't so thankful to the man who saved her son from the pilferers out in the world she probably would have made a comment that the badge should really read 'Rent a Cop'.

"About ten minutes all together, before and after I called you."

His response didn't seem to sooth her uneasiness because the real question that she longed to know was what amount of time had he been alone? Probably looking at the puppies that he's begged her since like forever before he realized that the person who was suppose to be taking care of him nowhere in sight.

"Baby, where's Uncle Chris at?"

She whispered into his ear Preston not bothering to look up at his mother as he rested his head into her shoulders shrugging his own not needing to say in words that he wasn't sure because his action were enough. Peyton quickly took the cell from her pocket and shifted her son in her arms so he would be comfortable as she made a call to find that man that as soon as she got finished with wouldn't be breathing anytime soon.

"Hello! Is anyone here?"

The security guard quickly excused himself as he heard the commotion gathering in the front of the security office.

"Can I help you?"

"Yes! I'm looking for my nephew." His breathing was rigid; the little girl in his arms had wet stained cheeks most likely from crying, her small eyes brimming with unshed tears, and her bottom lip was trembling."He's about yay tall." Chris brought his hand below his waist to show the approximate height of the lost boy. "Green eyes with large tints of blue, straight sandy blonde hair that's cut short, when he smiles he has a dimple on his left cheek, when he cries his bottom lip quivers" He pointed to Leighton "Kind of like hers-" His cell began to ring and looking down at the name displayed on the screen he gulped. "And if I don't find him his mom, who happens to be calling me right at this moment, is going to murder me!"

Peyton waited for the dead man walking to answer his phone when she suddenly heard that said man's ringtone for her. Walking to the front of the office her eyes came upon Chris Keller holding onto her daughter for dear life.

"You!" She exclaimed causing him to cringe. "You lost my kid!"

Chris turned around his eye lids opened wider with fright as he looked at Peyton. Her eyes the darkest green he's ever seen them. Almost black, if that was possible. The magisterial look ever so evident taking a step back he clutched onto the little child in his arms as she struggled to get down calling out her brother's name.

"Blondie-"

"Don't you Blondie me!"

"Peyton. I swear I looked away for only a second and he was gone. I I'm so sorry."

Leighton managed to get out of her uncle's strong embrace and ran to her mother's legs tugging at her dress, looking down Peyton stared lovingly into her daughter's crystal blues knowing what she would want she set Preston on his feet and the siblings clung to each other their arms wrapping around one other almost immediately.

"You know I could revoke your godparent guardianship for this!"

"Because, Chris. It's wrong on so many levels." Peyton took a sip from her iced tea. "Firstly, because Lucas and Lindsay are married and secondly, I'm with Julian; your best friend!"

"It was just for fun, Curly. No harm was meant. I swear."

***

Walking to one of the most well-known and popular places in Tree Hill, thanks to the book that their father had written about their mother, Leighton and Preston found themselves standing at the Rivercourt. The court was worn out, the basketball hoops were rusty, but it wasn't because it hadn't been well taken care of it was more to the fact that so many people loved this play that they spent all their free time here. The names of all their parents and their parent's friends barely noticeable unless you were really looking for the almost invisible lines that created a first and last name.

"Hey, Pres, can I ask you something?"

Leighton stole the ball from her brother's hands and concentrated on the small bumps that were meant for sturdy gripping of the basketball.

"If I said no you would still ask anyway." Preston replied taking the orange ball back dribbling against the black top. "So shoot."

"What do you think if mom and dad ever got back together?"

"What do you mean? Mom and dad are already together."

He took his stance in the middle of the court ready to throw the ball into the hoop.

"I meant dad as in Lucas."

He missed the hoop by a foot.

"That's funny." Preston said causing his sister to sigh. "Wait. You're serious! You know you're kind of crazy."

"Why is that so funny?"

Was she the only one who started to think that having her parents back together wasn't such a bad idea?

"Because it's hilarious." He noted Elle's serious look. "Come on if you think about it; mom and Lucas. It's just weird."

"Not really-"

"Wait you've been reading his book again haven't you?" A couple of years ago Preston found a tattered copy of 'An Unkindness of Ravens' hidden beneath the mattress of her bed right next to her diary. He built a fire in the tin trashcan at the park and burned the book. "Do I have to remind you that he didn't even want us to begin with?"

"Is that why you still hate him?"

"That's the reason why you should still hate him." He groaned annoyed. "Why all of the sudden are you all on his side handing out an award for father of the year?"

"I'm not!" she protested. "I just always wondered what it would be like to have our mom and dad together that's all. You can't tell me that you never thought about it."

"I don't need to because our mom and dad already are. Julian is our dad!" he stated madly "He raised us, taught us right from wrong, and helped heal us when we were sick. Lucas was never there." He threw the ball hitting the back of the baseboard. "Elle, he chose not to be there!"

Leighton couldn't remember a day in her life when her twin was so angry with her but then again the sore subject was never brought up between the two of them in this kind of manner.

"Forget I asked."

She began to walk away; her legs moving away from the pavement and onto the green grass.

"I'm sorry." Preston was by her side. "I didn't mean to get mad at you." She didn't say a word to him crossing her arms around her chest. "Elle, come on, don't give me the silent treatment." The girl could hold a grudge forever and an eternity if she really wanted to.

Sighing heavily she rolled her eyes before glaring at her brother.

"You know, Pres, if we didn't share the same DNA I swear I would knock you a new one for being so mean. You're just lucky I forgive easily."

Preston snorted murmuring a 'yeah right' before sobering up and clearing his throat.

"Yes you are."

"Jerk." Leighton prodded Preston with her elbow as she smiled and he laughed.

***

Lucas closed his laptop shut finishing a chapter of his latest work looking up his eyes roamed the empty house. The sound of the door opening caught his attention and watched as Peyton walked in alone with two empty glasses.

"Hey."

"Hey."

He followed her into the kitchen where she placed the glasses into the sink.

"So, what did Chris Keller have to say about the whole banner incident? Which by the way is still a bit confusing."

"He said it was meant for fun. Then I gave him the 'If momma aint happy aint nobody happy' face. He then swore never to do it again."

"Yeah that's one hell of a manipulating look."

"Works all the time."

Lucas laughed remembering when she had given him that same look almost a decade ago when he had stayed that one week in Los Angeles his children had asked for a puppy Peyton had said no because Julian was allergic and they went straight to Lucas who had agreed to get them one a name already picked out for the golden retriever that was yet to be added to the new family; Rocket II. That look she gave him was one that his own mother used to give him when he was younger and did something Karen had disapproved of. It must be a look that all women inherit as soon as their given the new title of 'Mom'.

A/N: So I know the flashback really had nothing to do with this chapter, but it was just kind of for funzy's anyway. So, will Preston ever forgive his father for a statement made in the past? Will the secret that's been haunting him ever be repeated? Well there is always that wonderful green button to let me know what you think :D