CHAPTER 21

A couple of days later and Peyton was still in complete torture over her decision to leave with the band on tour or not. It would be such a brilliant opportunity for her, and it would also help her band. But… Lucas. Six months was a long time, they'd known each other a matter of weeks and she already felt like she was in way over her head. It didn't help that he was now jobless, all because of her and although he claimed he had savings she knew he was more worried about this predicament than he let on.

Peyton put her head in her hands; she'd been doing that a lot lately, before shutting her eyes. A headache was looming and she sighed, she'd been doing that a lot lately too. Her door opened and she turned wearily around to see a smiling Lucas, before she even had a chance to speak he cut in front of her.

'How do you feel about going away for a while?'

Peyton smiled and said wryly, 'Funny.'

He walked closer to her and began again, 'We could go to Tree Hill, you know the town that I grew up in. We could go and stay there, with my Mom. I'd love to show you all the places and plus my mom will love you…'

He stopped when he saw the expression on Peyton's face, 'Okay now I'm scared because you don't actually sound like your joking.'

'I'm not.' He insisted pulling her lightly off her stool and into his arms, 'Seriously, how good will it be to just get away from it all?'

Peyton let out a grumble as a response and he smiled before elaborating, 'Think about it. We'd be changing from being unemployed, being chased by the press about a scandal that didn't even happen to a small town that is quiet and a beach that-'

'Well wait a second; you didn't mention the beach before.'

Lucas laughed at her sarcastic tone and kissed her softly before saying, 'Please. I just really want a break from it all but I want you to come with me. It'll only be a few days. I promise.'

Peyton went to protest again but couldn't actually figure out what to say and she sighed again as she surveyed his small pout and wide bright blue, hopeful eyes. She rolled her own before saying, 'Well I guess I can't say no to that.'

'Really?' He said with a grin.

She rolled her eyes again but this time with a smirk, 'You look like Jamie when I said he could paint the spare room.'

He laughed and leaned down to press his lips to hers, retracting them almost straight away and pushing her slightly away from himself saying, 'Go pack.'

Peyton frowned at the abrupt movement and turned away but before she could actually start walking he'd slapped her ass lightly. She turned sharply in surprise and grinned as he held his hands up, 'Couldn't resist.'

Two hours later and Peyton was checking her passport and luggage in the kitchen, waiting for Lucas to pick her up. The door opened and Brooke walked in, surveying the scene with a small frown.

'Okay, please tell me you aren't doing something stupid. Like running away…?'

Peyton gave her a swift smile, 'No, I'm going to Tree Hill. Lucas' home town.'

'Okay wait, say that again.' Brooke said with wide eyes, 'You're going on a vacation with Lucas.'

'No we're visiting his home town.'

'Same thing.'

'Not really.' Peyton interjected, 'If we were going on vacation it would be to somewhere really hot…'

Brooke's eyes grew wider as she walked past her friend and to the fridge pulling out a bottle of water and turning back to Peyton, 'Is it too early to be picking out my bridesmaid dress?'

Peyton turned red and said, 'Shut up you.'

Brooke laughed and said, 'Speaking of weddings and bridesmaid dresses, I've designed yours.'

'What?' Peyton said loudly, 'Well you don't hang around do you.'

'No, my wedding is going to be perfect.'

'Can I see it?'

'Nope.'

'Brooke, I'm going to be the one wearing it!'

'Yes, and you should trust your best fashion designer friend to do a brilliant job.'

'I do.' Peyton pouted, 'I just wanted to see it.'

'Closer to the time.' Brooke promised.

'Have you set a date?'

'Well we're stalling…'

'Why?' Peyton asked and Brooke looked slightly sheepish.

'Kind of because of you.'

'Me?' Peyton asked surprised.

'Yeah, we want you to be there. But if you go away with the band it'll be six months before your back…'

Peyton's heart sank and her stomach knotted uncomfortably as she nodded absentmindedly. 'Don't arrange the date of your wedding around me B Davis.'

'You're my maid of honour; I can't not have you there. Plus who will do the speech!'

'I'm doing a speech?'

'Did I not tell you?' At Peyton's shake of her head Brooke continued, 'Oh right, okay lets start over. Peyton, you're my best friend so please will you do a speech at my wedding?'

Peyton laughed at the sweetness but 'don't you dare say no' tone of her best friend's voice before saying, 'Of course I will.'

'You're the best P Sawyer.' She grinned.

'I know. But seriously, have your wedding when you want it Brooke.'

'I am.' Brooke said brushing the comment away completely, 'If I want it to be absolutely perfect it isn't possible to have it in the next six months anyway. Plus I have my work commitments and so does Julian, we're thinking sometime in the summer.'

Peyton smiled, 'It's going to a great day.'

'Not great, perfect.' Brooke affirmed with a smirk.

The door opened once more and Lucas walked in with a travel bag and shut the door behind him.

'Thanks for knocking.' Brooke huffed playfully and Lucas gave her a grin before responding,

'I'm sorry, were you busy?'

'Well if we were then you've now wrecked it.'

'Now you know how I feel every time you don't knock.' Lucas shot back with a smirk.

'It's my apartment, I don't need to knock!'

'It's Peyton's apartment too and I'm her boyfriend therefore that gives me a green card.' Lucas said walking over to them and kissing Peyton swiftly before pulling away and giving Brooke a triumphant smile. She was torn between amusement and annoyance at Lucas having out witted her, he stuck his tongue out at her childishly and she huffed again, let out a tutting sound before departing down the hallway at full speed and into her bedroom.

Lucas turned to Peyton and as they locked eyes they burst out laughing.

'You're so sexy when you do that.' Peyton said wrapping her arms around him tightly.

'Do what?' He laughed sliding his arms around her as well.

'Being all witty and yet…hot at the same time.'

'Hmm. Noted.' He smiled against her lips as she pressed them together.

Brooke's door opened and she stormed back down the hallway.

'Do you ever knock?' Lucas asked and Brooke smiled,

'Are you ever not attached by the lips?'

Lucas laughed, 'Touche'

'Seriously though, no one wins any of their arguments with me and you're just so…annoying.'

Lucas laughed even louder and Peyton smirked before saying, 'She means sexy.'

'Annoying.' Brooke affirmed glaring at Peyton.

'Sexy.'

'Annoying.'

Peyton turned to Lucas and mouthed, 'Sexy.' Before winking at him with her mouth still half open, he couldn't help but bring her closer for a kiss with a chuckle.

'So what's with the impromptu trip to Tree Hill?'

'I want to show Peyton where I grew up. Anyway I better take the bags out to the car.' Lucas shrugged, pulling away slightly abruptly to pick up her bag and take it out to the car.

'Wow that guy is totally in love.'

'Shut up.'

'He's taking you to see where he grew up Peyt. I'm getting married and I haven't seen where Julian grew up.'

Peyton chuckled, 'It's no big deal, he wants to visit his mom.'

Brooke's eyes widened, 'Your meeting his mother? Are you staying with her?'

'Yeah, why?'

Brooke snorted and then smirked, 'Wow, well good luck with trying to be quiet.'

Peyton rolled her eyes, 'It's a few days.'

'Yeah and knowing you can't will make you want to do it that little bit more.'

'We're not animals.'

'No but you're two people in love!' Brooke sang and Peyton turned.

'Right, that's it I'm leaving.'

'What, without a hug!' Brooke called after her as she closed the door.

Peyton wasn't nervous, really she wasn't.

Well she hadn't been until they'd landed. Now as they walked through Tree Hill airport she had to physically restrain herself from throwing up. Lucas' hand wrapped around hers and he squeezed firmly as they walked closer to where they both knew Lucas' mom would be waiting for them.

Peyton was abruptly put out of her reverie (of getting miraculously run over so she didn't have to make an enormously bad impression to Lucas' mother) when a squeal met their ears. Lucas went slightly red as a woman with dark hair rushed over to them both, but he still met his mother's hug full force.

'I've missed my boy.' She said and Peyton stood half awkwardly, watching the display of affection with a melting heart.

'I've missed you too ma.'

'Seven months is too long Luke.'

'I know, I know.' He smiled before his mother hugged him again tightly.

They broke out of their hug and Karen focused on Peyton, her expression was warm and Peyton smiled a little self consciously before Lucas looked at her and said,

'Oh right sorry. Ma this is Peyton, Peyt this is my mom, Karen.'

'Nice to meet you.' Peyton said politely and Karen surprised her by hugging her briefly before saying,

'You too dear. Now let's get you both home.' She picked up Lucas' bag and walked a little ahead of them. Lucas turned to Peyton and raised an eyebrow but Peyton smiled and he shrugged slightly before picking up Peyton's bag, throwing an arm around her shoulders and following his mother.

The drive wasn't nearly as uncomfortable as Peyton thought it was going to be, in fact she didn't say much at all. Lucas and Karen talked non stop and she sort of envied their relationship, it was so effortless, and exactly what a mother and son relationship should be like. She asked about New York, Nathan, Haley and Jamie, about how he'd been doing work wise (he carefully avoided the subject of him getting fired-as well as Peyton being the cause of it) and whether he'd finally settled into his apartment. Lucas had then explained how it'd taken him a while to stop living out of his boxes, because he hadn't really intended on staying in New York for so long.

How plans changed, and oh how Peyton was so glad his had changed along the way.

Driving through the back streets of Tree Hill was somewhat of a novelty for Peyton. Not only had she never been there but she'd also never been to such a small town, Los Angeles had been her home and now New York was and she'd kind of forgot how a small town could be so quiet in comparison to the big cities she'd previously lived in. When they pulled up at Lucas' childhood house, she couldn't believe she was where Lucas had grown up so many years ago. It wasn't small but it wasn't huge either and to be honest, it was exactly how she'd imagined. When they opened the door to the house a small girl ran out of nowhere to meet them, throwing her arms around Lucas' legs.

'Lil!' He said bending down and picking her up before enveloping her in a hug.

'Luke, you're back!'

'I sure am. How're you doing squirt?'

'I'm six!'

'I know you are.' Lucas chuckled.

'I'm big!'

'You'll be as tall as me soon!'

'I won't. Mama said you're tall so that you can protect us.'

'That's right!' Lucas smiled.

'Hey Luke.'

Lucas turned and saw Andy sitting at the table,

'Andy! Man, hey.'

Andy stuck out his hand and Lucas shook it before his friendly eyes roamed to Peyton, 'And whose this?'

'This is Peyton.' Lucas smiled putting his arm around her affectionately. Peyton waved a little and then blushed at how stupid she looked.

'Hi Peyton.' Lily said politely.

'Hey Lily, Lucas has told me a lot about you.' Peyton smiled.

'Really?'

'Uhuh. All good things of course.' Lily's little face beamed up at her and Peyton's heart melted again, these Scott children were all the same… so damn cute it was ridiculous.

They'd been sitting at the table for an hour when Karen announced they should probably settle in. Peyton was quiet most of the time listening to Lucas talk animatedly to his mother and Andy about everything that had been happening in New York, Lily bouncing up and down on his knee. Evidently she'd missed her big brother a lot.

They stood up and picked up their bags, Lucas was just about to lead them down the hallway to what Peyton assumed was his room when Karen stopped them both.

'I think this house might be a little small for five people.'

'Karen, it's fine.' Peyton smiled and Karen returned the smile before elaborating.

'You haven't seen Lucas' old room yet. Besides I've managed to acquire different lodgings for you both.'

Lucas looked confused but when Karen brought out the keys he must have recognised them immediately because he grinned.

'How did you persuade Nate for the beach house keys?'

'I think you're forgetting that I have a copy too.' Karen winked, 'Then when I rang to ask he replied that Peyton deserved to see more of Tree Hill than Lucas' dingy teenage bedroom.'

Peyton couldn't help but laugh, knowing that Nathan would have said just that and Lucas said defensively, 'It's not dingy.'

Karen smiled, 'Take the keys, settle in… we'll come round tomorrow.'

'Thanks ma.' Lucas said taking the keys off his mother and kissing her cheek.

'No problem. See you both tomorrow.'

Peyton waved to Karen and Andy before giving Lily a wink which she giggled a little at.

As they walked down the street Peyton breathed in deeply and Lucas chuckled, 'It smells so different from the city… clean I mean. Do you miss it here?'

'Yeah.' Lucas sighed and Peyton slung an arm around his waist, his arm finding it's way around her shoulders.

'We come here in the summer though, when Jamie and Haley break up from school. Nathan's season is over with the Bobcats and we all spend the summer here. Kinda makes up for it. I don't see myself ever fully letting go of this place. It holds too many memories.'

'Keith.' Peyton whispered and Lucas held her a little tighter.

'Yeah.' He said again, this time a lot quieter.

They were silent the rest of the walk and even though Peyton had no idea to where she was headed she felt strangely calm and tranquil. It might have had something to do with the quiet that encompassed this little town, the hum of a lone car instead of the roar of a highway, the natural light of the moon instead of the artificial lights of the big apple.

There was something about this place, something that let her fully understand why Lucas loved it here, and even she didn't know what it was.

Again, sorry for the lateness! I went on holiday for two weeks and didn't have any internet connection plus no laptop! But i'm back and really want to get this finished so hopefully there'll be a lot more chapters being posted regularly! Again the next few chapters are the calm before yet another storm ;) A few reviewers mentioned Lucas going on tour with Peyton and i don't want to give anything away but that idea isn't set in stone... that's all i'm going to say! Anyway thank you to everyone who keeps reading and reviewing, they make me extremely happy!