Lucas awoke to the sound of crying.

He sat up with a start. He wasn't use to this. Long gone were the days when Erin had been a toddler, long gone were the nights where he and Peyton would get up and fend after their little infant.

Lucas blinked several times. It took him a moment to work out where he was and whose cries were sounding through the crackling baby monitor.

The red and green lights kept springing back and forth indicating the young child's distress.

Sawyer. His daughter.

He threw the bed covers off of him and swung his legs over the edge and was about to hurry out of the room when the cries subsided some what. He glanced back at the monitor, the flashing lights slowing with the little girls sniffles.

It was then that he heard it. It broke through the speakers crisp and clear and he stopped breathing.

'Shh. Don't cry'

The words were thick and rusty and foreign and yet at the same time so familiar.

That wasn't Brooke's voice. That wasn't Nathan's voice and it wasn't Haley's voice.

He snatched the monitor up off of the bed side table and turned the volume up.

'It's okay, you don't have to be scared'

The voice was distinctively childlike.

Lucas' eyes narrowed and then snapped back to the warm bed he'd been laying in moments before. Erin's was gone.

'I'm here, you don't have to be scared'

Lucas' orbs widened considerably and his heart sped up. He dropped the monitor onto the bed and then his feet were carrying him out of the hotel bedroom.

'Luke' Brooke's whisper took him by surprise. She smiled tearfully and then she was grabbing his hand and yanking him down the little hallway.

They'd set up a carry cot in the living area of the large hotel suite and Lucas could see the outline of the crib through the moonlight, he could also see his six year old daughter, his six year old daughter climbing into the crib.

'Do you miss Mumma?'

An immediate lump formed in Lucas' throat as Erin's voice filtered through him. It was a scratchy, unused little voice but the way she pronounced her words were just as he remembered.

He watched the six year old lay down and Sawyer, who'd been standing up dropped onto her bottom. She was seemingly calmed by her big sister's presence.

'I'll sleep with you if you'd like' Erin said sweetly. 'You'll see Mumma soon. She's not very well but she's getting better. My aunt Brooke says so'

Sawyer laid down and then Erin was singing a song, a song that her Mum had sung her at bed time at what felt like a million years ago.

Brooke and Lucas watched on, hanging on every beautiful little sound that escaped the little girl's mouth. Lucas wanted to go in there, he wanted to grab her and hug her fiercely and tell her how wonderful she was but he stood by and watched, fearing that any interference would silence her forever more.

Eventually they both quietened and Brooke edged further into the room, Lucas following her. The caring brunette covered the sleeping angels with a blanket and stared down adoringly at them. Erin's legs were too long for the crib and were curled up to her stomach and Sawyer's little hand was clutching at the front of her big sister's nighty and Lucas could safely say this was one of the happiest moments of his life.

They both stared at the cute picture for a long ten minutes, Lucas could have stood there all night watching over their sleeping figures but Brooke gently suggested they have some coffee.

They both went into the kitchen area of the penthouse and Brooke set about making them both a drink but she didn't get far.

'Brooke are you okay?'

'Luke' Her bottom lip quivered and she put the kettle down, covering her face with her hands. 'God I'm sorry, I'm being a total girl'

'Brooke' He made the few steps over to her and hugged her and she sobbed regrettably into his shoulder.

'Lucas I'm sorry for everything, I-I'm so, so, sorry'

'It's water under the bridge Brooke' He pulled back and wiped her tears away. 'Life's too short'

'I'm s-so so-sorry, I've said horrible th-things to y-you'

'You don't have to be' He said sternly. 'You looked after our daughter Brooke, you'll never know how grateful I am for that' He pulled her back into his arms and kissed the top of her head. 'Everything you've said, it's all been with Peyton in mind, because you love her and she's going to need you, I need you to help us through this'

'I'm not going anywhere' She pulled back and wiped her eyes on the sleeve of her pyjama top. 'H-how are you coping?'

No one had asked him that yet. Everyone had been too afraid of the answer to ask him that.

'I'm scared' He was surprised by the words that escaped him but once he said it he felt a whole lot better and it was like a catalyst, once he started he couldn't stop. 'I've spent so many hours imagining the worst case scenario and this is worse than worse. She's so, so messed up and she doesn't want me near her Brooke and I really don't that I can help her through this, she doesn't want me near her, she-'

'That's not true, she-'

'She asked me to leave' He confessed.

His words tugged at her heartstrings. 'She told me to go today too' She admitted softly.

'The police say she said that Ian's never hurt her. I just, I don't know all the things he's done to her but she, she's in denial and I, I-'

'Luke' Brooke gripped his forearms. 'She's lost everything she values, it's going to take her a while to trust. We have to look at the happy things. We've got her back. You've got another beautiful little girl. Erin's got a little sister. Erin just spoke. After two years we just heard her speak. That's amazing Lucas'

'I, I know but what if she doesn't let me back in-'

'She will, she will over time'

'Do you remember what happened the morning of the kidnapping Peyton?'

Lucas was sitting beside her, his hand over hers.

'I was, I was....' She paused. 'Who are you?' She kinked her brow, this woman wasn't a doctor she'd met before, this woman wasn't an inspector. 'Who is she Lucas?'

He'd hoped they could do this without her clocking on but she was smarter than that, she was more observant than that.

'Peyton this is Doctor Lipton, she's a psychiatrist'

'A psychiatrist' Peyon repeated.

'Yes Peyton' Doctor Lipton smiled. 'I was hoping we could have a little chat'

'I don't need a shrink- did you do this? Did you ask her to talk to me?' She accused angrily. Lucas didn't like the look she was giving him.

'Peyton' Doctor Lipton intervened before Lucas could respond. 'Lucas didn't ask me to speak with you, your doctor did'

'I'm not crazy'

'You're most certainly not' The woman shook her head vigorously. 'I'm not here because we think you're crazy, we just think it would be good for you to speak with me'

'Why?'

'Do you think what's happened is your fault Peyton?'

She frowned and Lucas looked at her expectantly, he was curious to what she actually thought.

'I'm tired. I don't want to talk right now'

'Peyt please try' Lucas pleaded.

'I'm tired'

Peyton was standing in the middle of the airport.

After a long three weeks they were going home. It had been hard. Lucas had spent the majority of his time attempting to get Peyton to talk to someone but she was having none of it and he'd only succeeded in getting her riled up and stressed out.

Brooke had spent most of the time looking after the children. She wasn't use to looking after a one year old and although she was a natural, she hadn't found it a walk in the park by any means. It was just so exhausting having to simply watch her constantly. She found dividing her attention between Sawyer and Erin was near impossible, Sawyer required her twenty four seven where as the older little girl didn't and Brooke was seriously concerned about what effect this was all having on her. She'd not spoken again. Well not to neither Brooke or Lucas' knowledge. Neither adult had addressed her directly about it, fearing that the slight mention of speaking would just prevent her from doing so. Instead, Lucas found himself lying awake at night and waiting for a repeat of the first night that he'd brought Sawyer to Brooke's hotel suite. But although Sawyer had frequently woken crying out in the past few weeks, Erin had not strayed from her bed again.

Haley and Nathan were already back in Tree Hill with Jamie and Lucas was so grateful that Brooke had stayed to help, he really didn't know how he would have got through this without her.

'Are you okay?' Lucas asked for the hundredth time since they'd entered the busy terminal. The doctors had finally agreed that she was fit enough to travel but had insisted that a doctor check her over when they reached their hometown and that she have regular check-ups for the next few weeks. 'Peyt?'

Her head tilted and she finally looked at him. She'd been in a world of her own since the second they'd got out the car and she had taken to just staring at all the busy people going about their business. This was all strange to her. She'd been so isolated and suddenly all these people seemed scary to her.

'I'm fine'

They were checking in. Erin was glued to her Aunt Brooke's side and Sawyer was running circles around the bench her mother was sitting on, she loved this wide open space and was going a little crazy with excitement.

Everything had gone smoothly. Peyton had been discharged from the hospital several hours ago and Brooke had had a car waiting outside for them all. The calmness that had been their journey so far was quick to end though.

Peyton was the first to see them. She stood and hooked her fingers into the back of Sawyer's little dungarees and halted her toddling round the bench again.

'Peyt don't lift her' Lucas pleaded, watching helplessly as she persisted to awkwardly lift her youngest daughter into her arms, it wasn't easy with a plaster cast and her wince didn't go unnoticed by Lucas. He was about to insist on taking her when....

'How does it feel to be back with your family Mrs Scott?!'

'Are you relieved to be going home?!'

Lucas' head jolted around and he was suddenly aware as to the reason for his wife's sudden discomfort.

The incessant shouts were sickening to all bystanders.

They'd thought they'd managed to escape the media but at some point the news that the Scott family were departing from the airport, reunited, had been let out. The Ian Banks case had been hyped up and excessively followed over the last twenty one days to the point where they'd had several people get past security at the hospital to try and sneak a glimpse of the much publicised victim in her hospital bed. Thankfully no one had actually made it into her room but Lucas couldn't protect her from the onslaught of cameras right now.

He tried though.

She looked like a deer caught in headlights.

He slid his jacket off and wrapped it around her and Sawyer, pulling her involuntarily into his chest and turning her away from the bright flashes and hungry newsreaders.

When Brooke's presence was caught on camera too the crowd seemed to bustle forward in an even bigger frenzy. They were certainly having a field day.

Having Brooke Davis as a friend often caused issues with the media as it was. She was a well publicised celebrity of sorts and always seemed to attract some unwanted attention but none of that mattered because she was wonderfully loyal. She took charge of the situation before it could escalate any further, she used her fame to get them to the front of the cue and skillfully diverted all attention to herself so Lucas could get his family through the check point.

'How is your friend coping Miss Davis?'

She just smiled sweetly at the realms of questions being fired at her until the security finally arrived and took charge and only then did she tell the unsympathetic crowd not so sweetly to mind their own fucking business. Victoria would no doubt be on the phone within the hour after that comment but she really couldn't have cared less.

Although the invasion of cameras were ceased by the security they'd already done their damage. Peyton was shaken and proceeded to have a bit of an episode as soon as they were free of luggage and had passed through check-in. A passerby accidentally knocked into her while he was distracted by his son. Peyton had screeched when his arm had brushed hers and the man had looked on fearfully, hastily apologising. Lucas had smiled apologetically at the innocent man and taken a shaking Peyton in his arms, telling her over and over that she was okay but she'd declared she wasn't going anywhere, that she didn't want to go on the plane that she didn't want to go to Tree Hill.

The spout of words leaving her lips were unintelligible and muddled and she was just completely inconsolable and the tears seemed to be contagious for Sawyer had caught on to her mother's anguish and had taken it upon herself to join in and Erin was crying softly at the horrible scene and Brooke hoisted her up onto her hip and tried to tell her everything was okay even though it appeared as though they'd be missing their flight at this rate.

Soon staff came to the scene and after a hushed explanation by Brooke they'd suggested they go to first aid simply for a private place to sit for a while.

Lucas and Brooke had taken them up on their offer and got the three hysterical girls there as quick as possible.

It had taken time but the closed off, free of people room, seemed to do the trick and calm Peyton down somewhat but she was still insisting she didn't want to go to Tree Hill.

A medic had suggested giving her a little something to calm her nerves and Lucas had been dubious but he really wanted to get on this flight so had agreed to the small jab and Peyton had completely mellowed by the time their flight was called to the gate. They waited for everyone to board to avoid anymore break downs and then had been escorted to the plane. Once seated in first class Peyton had fallen asleep much to Lucas and Brooke's relief and the rest of the journey had been peaceful to some extent, only now they were both fearing her reaction when they got off the plane and were in the place that she'd been so adament she didn't want to go for the last hour.

Lucas' eyes didn't leave her when they turned down their road. He'd not been here in over a year either but he couldn't make himself turn and look out the window at his home surroundings. He wanted to get inside her head, he wanted to know what she was thinking. Her shoulders were hunched forward and her hand was clasped over Sawyer's little closed fist.

She blinked. They past the river court and a lump formed in her throat and all she could think was that she really didn't want to be here.

For a moment she could see herself, Lucas and Erin standing on the asphalt court, Erin was three and Lucas was lifting her up to dunk a basket ball through the hoop. They were smiling, laughing, they were happy, they were a family. She couldn't help but think that she'd lost that family and she cursed herself for wishing she'd never even met her husband and got married. If she'd never had the wonderful fairytale ending this wouldn't be so hard.

She was conflicted. It didn't matter how much she told herself she was so lucky, that she'd got what she'd been wishing for all along. She'd escaped. She'd been longing for this, she'd been longing to be back home and in all her fantasies she'd be smiling and deliriously happy but in reality that's not what she was feeling.

Inevitable tears arose in her eyes when they pulled up in front of their house. Her home.

She had so many happy memories here, they both did. She resented them all. She hated it. The happiness she'd once held taunted her.

'Peyt' Lucas' voice startled her. She heard herself sniffle and then realised she was crying. 'It's okay' His warm hand touched her cold cheek, catching her tears with his thumb and he looked at her concernedly, fearing another hysterical break down but she smile sadly.

'I'm sorry' She whispered, she could see he was worried and she felt really stupid over what had happened at the airport, she didn't know what had caused it but it was as though she wasn't in control, she was determined not to let that happen again 'I'm fine'

I'm fine seemed to be her favourite phrase as of late.

He unbuckled Sawyer's straps but Peyton lifted the little girl from her seat before he could assist. He really wished she'd let him help, the doctor had given strict rules for her to rest and not do anything to strenuous but she already seemed to be ignoring those rules.

There were tears from Erin when they'd all got out the car and her Aunt Brooke announced that she wasn't going to stay.

'I won't come in. I'll let you two get yourselves settled' She smiled encouragingly, they needed to be alone and she needed to give them space, she realised that. She crouched down before Erin. 'I'll see you tomorrow honey'

Erin shook her head, clinging onto Brooke for dear life.

'You're going to be okay. Mummy and Daddy are going to look after you again now. You get to sleep in your own bed again' Brooke really didn't want to part with the little girl either but she knew she had to do this but that didn't stop her heart from breaking when she firmly pulled Erin's hands away from her and quickly walked away.

Lucas consoled her in his strong arms and told her she'd see Brooke tomorrow. She'd sobbed but as soon as they crossed the threshold into her home she calmed somewhat, looking around at the surroundings.

Everything was as Peyton remembered. Everything was as Lucas remembered.

This house hadn't been in use for coming on a year and a half now. Erin had stayed at Brooke's house when Lucas had gone to prison, simply because the brunette found it too hard to be there.

Haley and Nathan had come by in the last few days and their was a distinct smell of polish and cleaning products lingering in the air.

Peyton glanced up the hallway. The clock was ticking softly as though no time had gone at all.

'It's cold huh? I'll go put the heating on' Lucas broke the silence that had bestowed them. Peyton followed him on unsteady legs, her hand rubbing Sawyer's back, she was sure the little girl wasn't a bit phased by what was going on but if the little motion wasn't comforting the one year old it was helping to soothe her. She was instantly brought back to the last day she'd been here as she stepped into the cream kitchen.

'Morning you' Lucas took the glass of orange juice from her hand and put it on the sideboard before pushing her back against the fridge.

'Luke' She smiled. 'Erin will be down in a minute'

'We better make the most of this minute then huh?' He smirked and then lent down and kissed her.

'Peyton?'

'Huh?' Peyton glanced around. Erin was sitting at the table, her little cheeks still moist with tears but the glass of milk in front of her and chocolate chip cookie in her hand seemed to be doing the trick in distracting her from Brooke's departure.

'Do you want something to drink?' He repeated for the third time.

'Oh no, I'm ok. I, I think I'll put her down to bed, she's had a long day and she's tired'

'Why don't you sit down, I'll do it-'

'No, I, I want to' She avoided his eyes. 'Where shall I lay her?'

Lucas smiled and gestured for her to follow him. They went upstairs and down the hall and he paused in front of what she knew to be the spare room. 'Nate and Hales have been here the last four days' He informed her as he pushed back the door.

Peyton gasped, her eyes wide as she took in the nursery. It was nothing like Sawyer's old room. There was no pink in sight. The walls were a pale blue and the furniture all white.

Peyton let an inquisitive Sawyer down. She toddled around the room on wobbly legs, picking up the many toys with a beaming smile and then holding them out to Peyton and jabbering her own language.

'Lucas' Peyton gave him a small smile. 'This is too much'

'No' Lucas disagreed, it wasn't too much. His girls deserved everything and more. 'Haley and Nate did a good job huh?'

'She loves it' Peyton nodded.

Erin had appeared to also inspect the decorated room and both parents watched her silently interact with her little sister. Sawyer was jabbering on to her and struggling to get a spinning top spinning. Erin knelt on the ground beside her and carefully pushed down the extended axis a couple of times. The metal body began to slowly rotate, the bright design of animals spinning faster until they were just a blur of colours. Sawyer clapped her little hands together and giggled in delight and Erin smiled at her reaction.

Lucas and Peyton watched on, a smile gracing both their faces at the sight of their two daughter's. Lucas hesitantly slid his hand round her smaller fingers and she didn't pull away, she moved closer and although small and somewhat insignificant to some, Lucas was overjoyed that she was holding hands with him and that she was smiling and most of all that she was safe and they were home and for the first time in days he felt that perhaps they could have that life again, that happy life that they so truly deserved.