"There's a ship out on the ocean, at the mercy of the sea."
When You Come Back To Me Again, Garth Brooks
Quinn glanced out of the window at the café, smiling as she watched the people on the sidewalk. She absently stirred her cup of tea, paying no attention to the woman sitting across from her. Brooke didn't mind though, she sat with a small smile on her face, watching Quinn, noticing that, for the first time in a long time, Quinn seemed to be at peace.
She finally reached over though, gently gripping Quinn's wrist, stopping the absentminded stirring. Quinn's blue eyes were wide for a moment, and she let out a quiet laugh.
"I have just been completely ignoring you, Brooke. I'm sorry."
"No, it's … it's fine. I didn't even mind."
Quinn smiled, patting Brooke's hand. They shared a smile, taking sips of their drinks. Quinn glanced back outside, and Brooke spoke softly.
"Is everything okay?"
Quinn let out a quiet laugh.
"You know, for once … I think it is. Well, not entirely. Logan's still …"
She sighed, shaking her head. Brooke pursed her lips as she nodded.
"Because of everything with Sawyer?"
Quinn nodded, and Brooke pushed a hand through her hair.
"Yeah, Peyton was telling me about that. Well, some. She didn't know much."
"Neither do I."
Brooke sighed.
"Guess the only ones who do are Logan and Sawyer?"
"And neither one of them are talking, because they're both gone."
They shared a sigh this time, before Brooke cleared her throat.
"Yeah, and they're … they're not the only ones."
Quinn narrowed her eyes, and Brooke sighed.
"Lucas is gone."
Quinn's eyes widened.
"Gone? What do you mean gone?"
"I mean he left town, and no one knows where he went."
Quinn's mouth fell open, and Brooke nodded.
"Yeah, Peyton's pretty torn up about it."
"I haven't even seen her lately. Haven't called her or anything. God."
"Well … She's not exactly here."
Quinn raised an eyebrow, and Brooke sighed.
"Peyton and Ellie left a few days ago to meet up with Karen and Sawyer."
"Seriously?"
Brooke nodded.
"They were in Edinburgh, Scotland, last I heard. I told her I thought it would be good for them to get away. And if Lucas comes back, well, then I'll feel better about the ass-kicking I'm going to give him."
Quinn laughed to herself, then leaned forward.
"Where do you think he's gone?"
Brooke let out a laugh.
"Hell if I know. He's not in Tree Hill anymore, I can promise you that. Owen's looked everywhere for him. No one else has heard from him."
"You checked?"
"Well, I didn't exactly put out a Missing Person's Report, but … I called Mouth, who hasn't heard anything. Karen's clueless. As is your sister Taylor."
Quinn held out her hands, and Brooke shrugged her shoulders.
"Wouldn't be the first time a Scott boy turned to that particular James sister."
Quinn rolled her eyes.
"Taylor's not like that anymore."
"Well, I thought it couldn't hurt to check."
"Yeah, that was probably a good move."
Brooke nodded.
"Anyway, Julian hasn't heard a thing, Deb hasn't heard a thing, and Owen's got his people keeping an eye out, too."
"I can ask Clay. He's got some fairly good sources."
"Couldn't hurt."
Quinn nodded, finishing up her tea. She let out a sigh, then reached across the table.
"I have some good news."
Brooke pushed her mug aside, reaching over and taking the hands Quinn offered.
"I'm all ears."
Quinn smiled, squeezing Brooke's hands.
"Lydia's coming home."
Brown eyes went wide, and Brooke's mouth fell open.
"We're going to get her Saturday morning."
"Are you serious?"
Quinn nodded, a wide smile crossing her face.
"The last couple of weekends, we've gone to the treatment center. We've seen her, talked to her. Last weekend, we took Jamie and spent the whole weekend in Columbia. First time in a year she's spent time away from the center, and she did wonderfully. She and I stayed in a hotel room, and it was … it was like old times, Brooke."
Tears gathered in Quinn's eyes as she spoke.
"We talked and laughed. She sat back and let me do her hair, and she painted my nails."
Quinn held out her hands, and Brooke smiled when she saw the teal blue polish, with Quinn's ring fingers painted in sparkly gold. Quinn sniffled.
"She crawled into my bed a little after midnight, and I stayed up for the longest time, just watching her. We had to pry Jamie away from her Sunday afternoon. And she didn't break down and beg us to stay or anything. She stood on the steps and watched us leave. And she calls nearly every day, just to talk. To tell us how much she loves us."
Brooke lifted a hand to her lips, blinking as tears gathered in her eyes. Quinn sighed.
"We wanted to tell everyone, but we … we didn't want to overwhelm Lydia. And we didn't want to give out any false hope, just in case. But I think everything's okay now, Brooke."
Brooke shook her head, letting out a shaky sigh. Quinn looked down at the table, letting out a sigh of her own before she spoke.
"She's been so conflicted about Jude."
Brooke looked up, and Quinn's eyes went soft.
"She wanted to tell him that she's better. Much better than she was even at Christmas when she called. But she … she didn't want him to come see her."
Brooke blinked, and Quinn shook her head.
"Not—not like that. She wants to see him more than probably any of us, but she didn't want him to see her in that place."
Brooke nodded slowly as realization hit her.
"I understand."
"She wanted me to talk to him, but we've been so preoccupied lately."
"So has Jude. He's doing some kind of summer camp thing that his therapist recommended him for. And he and Davis have been, oddly enough, practicing basketball like every day."
"Jude?"
Brooke let out a laugh, nodding her head.
"Yeah. And he's pretty good, surprisingly."
"All this time, we thought Davis was the athlete…"
"And I'm kind of thinking they might both be playing on the team this year."
Quinn let out a quiet laugh.
"Wow. I can't believe they'll be seniors."
Brooke looked over at Quinn, who just smiled.
"Lydia's been, and I quote, 'voracious' with her schoolwork lately. They brought in a tutor or a teacher or something for her. She's all caught up, ready to be a senior at Tree Hill High."
"Oh, good."
Quinn nodded at Brooke's sigh of relief. Brooke blinked a few times, then lifted her head.
"So… She's coming home for good?"
Quinn nodded.
"Saturday night, she'll be back in the pink room."
Brooke nodded slowly, and Quinn sighed.
"I know. Clay and I had a long talk about it. We thought of switching Lyd and Riley, but … You know how attached she is to that room."
"It's the only thing Nathan did for her that she can cling to."
Quinn nodded.
"And changing what's familiar at this point in the game would probably do way more harm than good. We talked with her doctor, and she's talked with Lydia. Everyone seems to be on the same page."
Brooke nodded.
"Do we … a welcome home party is probably a bad idea."
Quinn nodded.
"I thought we could spend Saturday on the road and let her get settled in, and then we can make the rounds Sunday. Which at this point, I guess is just to you and Meg and the boys. If Peyton and her girls are gone and Lucas …"
Brooke nodded.
"Well, that makes me feel special."
Quinn let out a laugh.
"Jamie's so excited to have her home again."
"Speaking of, how is he?"
Quinn tilted her head to the side, and Brooke gave her a soft smile.
"I ran into him at the cemetery the other day. He was … not doing very well."
Quinn nodded.
"I picked up on that. Clay and I took him with us to Columbia last weekend, didn't tell him anything about it. He and Lydia had a long talk outside the center, and he's doing a lot better now."
"Good. I was worried about him."
"I think he just needed to see his sister, to talk with her and see for himself that she's really okay now. And she is."
"I am so glad."
They both glanced back as a small group of people walked into the café. Brooke smiled, gathering up her cup and spoon.
"Well, it looks like I should get back to work. I'll talk to the boys and Meggie, tell them about our girl. And I guess we'll plan to see you on Sunday sometime."
Quinn nodded, standing up and wrapping Brooke in a quick hug.
"Do you need some help?"
Brooke glanced around, then heard the back door open and close. She smiled and shook her head at Quinn.
"Nope. That'll be my own personal restaurant staff. Thanks though."
"Bye, Brooke."
Quinn smiled as she stepped through the crowd, slipping sunglasses on her face as she stepped out the door, into the sunlight.
"It's been tossed about, lost and broken, wandering aimlessly."
When You Come Back To Me Again, Garth Brooks
Jude shot the basketball, easily making it into the hoop. His brother let out a groan behind him, and Jude turned to see Davis shaking his head.
"You're such a bastard."
Jude let out a laugh, throwing the ball to Davis, who tried to mimic the shot Jude had just effortlessly made, and failing miserably. Jude threw his hands up in victory.
"And that'd be an 'E.' No offense, Dave, but you suck."
Jude laughed again when Davis shoved his shoulder.
"You've been holding out on me."
"You've never wanted to play with me. Probably because, subconsciously, you knew you'd get your ass handed to you. Case in point."
Davis groaned again.
"Seriously, you've got to see about being on the team."
"Davis, I told you—"
"No, listen. Jeremy Kyle, you know him?"
Jude nodded.
"Apparently his dad got a job in like Texas or something, so he's moving."
Jude made a face and Davis nodded.
"I know. Dick move, pulling the kid out in his senior year. Anyway, with him gone, there's an open spot on the team."
"Davis—"
"How cool would it be? You and me, tearing up the court. They could call us the Fabulous Baker Boys."
"Jesus, Dave. Do you sit up at night and think this shit up?"
Davis shrugged his shoulders.
"Don't act like it doesn't appeal to you."
Jude shrugged his shoulders.
"It does sound all right."
"'All right?' You're killing me, Smalls."
Jude let out a laugh.
"Okay, the 'Fabulous Baker Boys' does have a nice ring to it."
"Damn right it does!"
Jude shook his head, a smile on his face.
"Okay. I'll go with you to your next practice, see what I have to do."
Davis threw his hands up in the air, letting out a laugh.
"Senior year is going to kick ass, man!"
Jude shook his head, jumping back as he shot the ball again. Davis just stared as it sailed through the air, slipping through the hoop effortlessly.
"Nothing but net, baby."
Davis shook his head, and Jude smiled as they walked into the house. Jude let out a yawn, and Meg wrinkled her nose from her place on the living room sofa.
"You stink."
"That's the scent of basketball stars, Megan."
"Basketball smells horrible, then."
The boys let out a laugh, and Jude motioned towards the stairs.
"I'll take the upstairs shower, you take Mom's."
"Don't use all the hot water."
"Nah, I'm hot enough as it is."
Davis nodded, starting for his mother's bedroom, then stopping.
"Hey, Meg?"
She leaned forward from the couch, meeting Davis' eyes.
"Where's Mom?"
Meg smiled.
"Owen stopped by when you were all at the café earlier. He had a bunch of roses and said he was taking Mama somewhere special."
Jude laid a hand over his heart, turning to face Davis, who made a face.
"Ew."
Meg let out a laugh, and the boys joined in before they hurried off to their showers.
"And God, somehow You know that ship is me."
When You Come Back To Me Again, Garth Brooks
Late that night, Brooke tiptoed into the house. Owen was right behind her, coming to a stop and smiling when he saw Meg and Davis curled up together on the couch. Brooke smiled when she saw them.
"They can't hang."
Owen laughed to himself.
"I'm sorry I kept you out so late."
Brooke waved a hand at him, then stepped up to grip his jacket.
"It was worth it."
Owen smiled as he leaned down, fitting his mouth to Brooke's for far too short of a kiss. She stepped away from him and fluffed up her hair. Owen stepped around the couch, bending and extricating Meg from her place against Davis' chest. He lifted her in his arms, holding her against his chest. She snuggled up to him, letting out a sigh as something in his heart twitched. Owen swallowed and Brooke smiled as she watched him. She leaned forward, brushing her fingers through Davis' hair.
"Hey, bud. Wake up."
Blue eyes slowly blinked open, smiling when he saw his mother. The smile slid from his face as he looked down and Brooke patted his hand.
"Owen's got her."
Davis let out a breath of relief, nodding as he leaned back against the pillows. Brooke smiled, patting his leg.
"Come on, bud. Go get in bed."
Davis nodded, yawning widely.
"Have a good time?"
Brooke smiled and nodded, stepping back as Davis stood up. He yawned again as he stretched, and Brooke laid a hand against his back. Davis nodded, turning to walk up the stairs. He stopped at the bottom, turning back to look at Brooke.
"You know … We're all adults here."
Brooke raised an eyebrow, glancing over at Meg, cuddled up in Owen's arms. Davis gave her a smile when Brooke met his eyes again.
"She's very mature for her age."
"What are you getting at?"
Davis shrugged his shoulders.
"Just saying, if you wanted to have an overnight guest…"
"Davis Baker!"
He laughed quietly, leaning to whisper to his mother.
"Seriously, Mom. We're mature kids who like him and want you to be happy. If you want him to stay, we'll be fine with it."
"Davis, I—"
"Ooh, maybe he can make pancakes in the morning. He did that at the café once."
Brooke closed her eyes and Davis smiled, leaning over to kiss her cheek.
"Think about it. I love you."
"Goodnight, son."
"Night, Mom. Night, Owen."
"Night, Davis."
He jogged up the stairs, shutting the door behind him as he walked into his bedroom. Owen carried Meg to her room, easily laying her in her bed, covering her up. He smiled as he watched her reach out and grasp a ratty-looking teddy bear, sighing as she held it close to her. He brushed her dark hair from her forehead, leaning down and pressing a feather-light kiss just above her eyebrow.
He stood up, watching as Brooke flipped a nightlight on. He smiled, walking behind her to the hall. They walked down a little bit, and Brooke pushed open a door that was already ajar. Jude lay in his bed on his back, a book open and resting on his chest. Owen chuckled to himself, and Brooke shook her head as she walked into the room. She flipped off his overhead light, gathering the book up, pulling the bookmark from his loose grip. She set the bookmark in the book, laying it on his nightstand. She leaned over and kissed his forehead, and he shifted in the bed, pulling the covers closer around him, but never waking up. Brooke shut off his lamp and walked to the door, glancing back one last time until she heard the deep, even sounds of his breathing.
She pulled his door to, and took Owen's hand. They quietly walked down the stairs, stopping in the kitchen. Owen smiled as he pushed his hands into his pockets.
"You've got some great kids, Brooke Davis."
She smiled.
"Yeah, I do, don't I?"
Owen laughed to himself, then leaned forward, laying his hand against her cheek as he kissed her softly.
"Well, it's late. You should get some sleep."
He turned to leave, and when his hand was on the doorknob, her soft voice rang out.
"Owen?"
He glanced over his shoulder, and she took in a deep breath, letting it out in a sigh. He walked back over to her, standing in front of her, looking down as she looked up at him. He'd always loved how tiny she was. Big brown eyes blinked up at him before her voice sounded again.
"I don't do this. I have never done this. No one has ever … Not with my kids."
"Brooke."
She blinked slowly, reaching out her hands to rest them against his wide chest.
"Stay."
A smile crossed his face, and he licked his lips.
"Are you sure?"
She nodded.
"Yeah, I'm sure."
Owen smiled again, leaning down to press his lips to hers. She kissed him back, going up on her tiptoes as his hands slid into her hair. After a moment, she pulled back, brushing her nose against his, and he smiled. She reached down and took his hand, leading him to her bedroom.
"'Cause there's a lighthouse in a harbor, shining faithfully."
When You Come Back To Me Again, Garth Brooks
Jamie hung his head, letting out a breath.
"I don't care if I have to follow along in my car behind you. I am not missing out on this."
"It is literally a day in the car. We are going to get her, then bring her right back here."
Jamie let out a laugh, because he still didn't understand how Clay wasn't getting it.
"I don't care, Clay! She is coming home, and I will be damned if I sit here and wait."
"Jamie, all it's going to be is a ride in the car."
"I. Do. Not. Care."
Quinn let out a sigh from her place at the bar, picking up a cookie that Riley had made and taking a bite of it. She made a face and jumped off her chair, rushing to the trashcan and spitting out the bite she'd just taken. Clay pursed his lips as he nodded, pointing to her.
"And that answers my question about the cookies."
Quinn shivered as she grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge.
"Do not eat the cookies. Blech."
Jamie let out a quiet laugh, shaking his head. Quinn walked over to Clay, going up on her toes and pressing her lips to his. Jamie glanced down at the floor, a soft smile on his face. Quinn sat back on her heels, smiling up at her husband as she lifted a hand to rest against his cheek.
"We'll make it a family affair."
"Q."
"You know Riley's not going to stay here by herself. And remember how happy she was to see Jamie last weekend?"
"I don't want to overload her, Quinn."
"We can't keep her in a bubble, Clay. We are her family."
Clay hung his head, letting out a breath. Quinn gently rubbed her hand over his chest, until Clay reached up and covered her hand with his own. He looked down, directly into blue eyes, letting out a quiet sigh.
"I can't lose her like that again, Q."
"We've got a second chance, baby. Let's take it and make the most of every second."
Clay sighed again, pushing a hand through his rapidly-graying hair.
"Fine. But she sits where she wants in the car and no bitching."
Jamie held up a hand and nodded, while Quinn rolled her eyes. Clay nodded once more, shaking his head as he turned and left the room.
"Pouring its light out across the water for this sinking soul to see ..."
When You Come Back To Me Again, Garth Brooks
Riley surprised her parents by asking to stay home while they went to get Lydia and bring her home. Quinn was suspicious, but Riley promised it would all be worth it. Brooke and Meg were coming over to spend the night, so Riley wouldn't be completely alone, since Clay and Quinn and Jamie would be leaving shortly before the sun came up.
Bringing Lydia home was less of a hassle than checking out of a hotel usually is. The doctor met them at the front desk, giving them a few sheets of paper, detailing what medications Lydia was taking, the reasons that medication was chosen, the dosage she was on, and possible side effects. Quinn blinked at the papers, but Clay's hand on her arm brought her out of the worry she'd started to slip into. The doctor then gave them another card, of a therapist near Tree Hill that Lydia had already met with a few times and enjoyed talking to. They'd set up an appointment schedule for three times a week for a few months, with Dr. Chambers confident the schedule would be changed after a short, almost "trial" period.
Clay and Quinn were overwhelmed by the information, but Jamie was the one who asked the questions. Why was Lydia taking the medication she was? Who was this therapist? How often had Lydia met with him? Was three times a week too much to meet with him? Or was it not enough?
Dr. Chambers just smiled, answering Jamie's questions with ease. He nodded his approval when she gave him her answers, until they got to the question on who the new therapist was. Clay's head shot up from the paper he'd been reading over Quinn's shoulder, and she slowly lifted her gaze to the doctor's. Clay shook his head.
"I'm sorry. What did you just say?"
Dr. Chambers blinked at him.
"The new therapist Lydia has met with? His name is Dr. Alvarez. He's a very good—"
"No, I … I know he is."
Dr. Chambers tilted her head to the side, and Jamie glanced over. Clay swallowed, dragging his fingers down the papers Quinn was still holding, until she reached over and laced her fingers through his. Clay gave her the smallest smile, and Quinn turned to the doctor with a sheen of tears in her eyes.
"This won't be our first time with Dr. Alvarez. He, uh … He put our family together a long time ago."
Dr. Chambers nodded slowly, and Clay reached over to tug Quinn close to him, closing his eyes as he kissed her temple. Jamie glanced down, staring at the floor, until the doctor cleared her throat.
"Well. Should we see if she's ready to go?"
"... That someone out there still believes in me."
When You Come Back To Me Again, Garth Brooks
Lydia was sitting on the bed in her room, looking from the plain white walls out the window to the bushes of flowers. She smiled when she caught sight of a butterfly, then looked to the door. She took in a breath as a smile crossed her face, and she jumped up to run into her brother's arms. Jamie laughed to himself as he held her, running his hands up and down her back.
"Hey, little sister."
Lydia squeezed him once, and Jamie laughed again before she stepped out of his arms. She lifted a hand to brush a chocolate-colored curl away from her face and Jamie looked down into smiling navy blue eyes. He couldn't help but smile back.
"What?"
"I get to go home today."
Jamie nodded, reaching up to touch her hair again.
"Yes, you do. What did you do to your hair?"
Lydia rolled her eyes.
"I curled it, you goofball."
Jamie let out a laugh.
"I know that."
"Then why did you ask?"
He shrugged his shoulders.
"It's pretty, is all."
"Thank you."
"It, uh …"
Lydia glanced back, and he cleared his throat.
"Mom used to fix her hair like that sometimes."
Lydia blinked, before a soft smile came over her face.
"Really?"
Jamie nodded, and Lydia lifted a hand to gently touch her hair.
"You're pretty just like she was. Big eyes, soft hair. You—you got her lips, and when you smile without showing your teeth, Christ, it's like I'm looking right at her again."
Jamie glanced down, shaking his head, pushing his hands into his pockets and walking over to the window. Lydia cleared her throat quietly, walking closer to him. She stood beside him at the window, looking out over the bushes of flowers, up at the puffy white clouds.
"I'm a lot like her, you know? I mean, I've seen the pictures. I know I look like her. But … personality-wise, I'm like her, too."
Jamie closed his eyes, and Lydia let out a shaky sigh.
"I never meant to hurt you. Not—not like this. I thought I didn't … I mean, I—"
She let out a sigh, shaking her head.
"It's hard to put into words now. I was just … so sad, all the time. It's like there was this dark cloud over me and I couldn't get out from under it, no matter what I did. I couldn't see the sun, and I never thought I'd ever be able to see it again. And I … I never thought about the way my actions could affect anyone else."
She lifted a hand, touching her fingers to the cool glass of the window.
"I was incredibly selfish, if you really think about it. So caught up in my thoughts and how I was feeling, and it never occurred to me to think about anyone else."
She looked over then, saw the way her brother's jaw was clenched as he stared out the window.
"I can't promise that I won't ever be sad again. And I can't promise that we won't ever be back here."
Jamie's eyes opened at that, wide and scared, and Lydia laid a hand on his arm, causing him to turn and meet her gaze.
"But I can promise you that I'm going to do my damnedest not to let it happen again."
He saw the determination in the dark blue, even though they were filling with tears. He heard the sharp edge to her voice, and he knew, deep down inside, that she was telling the truth.
"I know the signs now, Jamie. I know how I'm supposed to feel, and I know that if I start to feel that darkness again, that it's okay to ask for help."
He reached over and grabbed both of her arms, just above her elbows, and she stared up at him. Again, just like their mom, she was so tiny.
"I can't lose you, Lyd. You are all I have."
"Jamie—"
"No, I'm serious. There is nothing else on this earth that ties me to my parents except for you. You're the only thing they've ever given me that I can hold onto. I cannot lose you."
Tears slid down her cheeks, but she smiled, one of those closed-mouth Haley smiles, and Jamie felt his heart clench. Lydia shook her head, speaking softly.
"You're not going to lose me, James. I'm here now."
He couldn't hold back the sob as he took her in his arms. She closed her eyes as she set her chin on his shoulder, as his arms tightened around her. He kissed her hair, and she pushed her fingers through the dark hair at the nape of his neck. When he could speak again, Jamie took in a deep breath, letting it out slowly.
"I love you, little sister."
She smiled, leaning her head against his for a moment.
"I love you too, big brother. Always."
Jamie swallowed, smiling widely.
"And forever."
"On a prayer, in a song..."
When You Come Back To Me Again, Garth Brooks
Quinn was turned around in her seat, watching Lydia as she stared out the window. One of her hands was constantly pressed to the glass, and her blue eyes just took everything in. Jamie was sitting beside her in the backseat, watching her, and Clay continually glanced in the rearview mirror.
Clay hit a bump in the road, and Lydia bounced in her seat, fingers sliding up the glass before they slid back down, and she let out a quiet giggle. She took in a breath and let it out, speaking to the window.
"I'm not going to disappear, you know. You don't have to keep staring at me."
She turned from the window, smiling over at Jamie, who smiled back sheepishly and glanced at his feet. Lydia looked at Quinn then, before flicking her eyes to the rearview and meeting Clay's gaze. Quinn smiled, and Clay let out a quiet laugh.
"Can't help it, Little Scott. We've missed you."
Lydia laughed to herself.
"I missed you guys, too."
Jamie met Quinn's eyes, and she let out a sigh. Lydia glanced over her shoulder at them, then spoke softly.
"What?"
Quinn sighed again.
"There's some things we need to talk about. Some things that happened while you were gone."
Lydia blinked.
"Okay? What kind of things?"
Quinn met Jamie's eyes again, and he sighed.
"Well, it's been a hell of a year, Lyd."
"I know."
She looked down at her hands in her lap, and Jamie reached over, taking one in his hand.
"In a nutshell, there won't be many people to welcome you home."
"Well, that's okay."
Jamie nodded, glancing to Quinn again, who nodded to him.
"I'm just going to say some stuff, and you just listen, okay? Aunt Quinn can explain when I'm done."
Lydia's eyes went big, but she nodded slowly.
"Uncle Lucas has had a really hard time. And he, uh … He and Aunt Peyton have separated."
Lydia's mouth fell open, and Jamie went on.
"We actually aren't really sure where he is right now, but he's not in Tree Hill. Aunt Peyton and Sawyer and Ellie have gone on a trip with Karen."
"Sawyer's grandma, Karen?"
Jamie nodded.
"They'll be coming home before school starts in the fall."
Lydia nodded slowly, and Jamie went on.
"Sawyer … Um …"
Quinn spoke up then.
"Sawyer had some personal … stuff happen. Stuff that you should hear from her, and not us."
"Oh."
Quinn nodded, lifting a hand to push through her hair.
"Sawyer and Logan actually became … really close. And when she left, he—he did, too."
"Logan's gone?"
Quinn looked down as she nodded. Clay spoke up then, forcing himself to smile.
"He's in Arizona. The Cardinals are talking about starting him in the pre-season."
Lydia couldn't help the small smile that crossed her lips.
"So he's playing for the Cardinals?"
Clay nodded, flipping the turn signal on and taking an exit. Lydia nodded, looking back down at her hands.
"What about Aunt Brooke?"
Jamie smiled.
"She's doing good. Really good, actually. Owen's around all the time. Meg's glued to her sewing machine."
"And she said Jude might be on the basketball team with Davis this year."
Lydia lifted her head.
"Really?"
Quinn nodded as she smiled.
"Yeah, they've grown even closer, if you can believe it."
Lydia nodded, looking to Jamie before she looked out the window again. Quinn sat up in her seat, and Jamie reached over, gently touching Lydia's shoulder.
"Lyd?"
Her shoulders shook as she leaned forward. She turned to look at Jamie and Clay saw her face in the rearview mirror. He pulled the car over, pressing the button that turned the flashers on and jumping out of his seat, walking back and pulling open Lydia's door. He touched her shoulder and she turned to him, grabbing hold of his arms and sobbing out loud.
"Little Scott, hey."
"It's my—my fault."
"No, hey. Lydia."
"Everything's so—so messed up, and—and it's be—because of me."
Clay let out a breath and she sobbed again, shaking her head. He leaned forward, holding her as best he could with her still buckled in. Jamie was holding Quinn's hand, not even realizing that his entire body was shaking. Quinn kept a hand going through his hair, eyes locked on Lydia and Clay.
"Listen to me, all right? You are not to blame for this. You were sick. You needed help. Anything else that may have happened after you left was not your fault."
"It happened be—because of me."
"Maybe that's true."
Lydia's eyes went wide, and she leaned back to look at him. Clay had a half-smile on his face, and he lifted a hand to tug at one of her curls.
"But it wasn't your fault. You didn't choose for Lucas to leave. He made the choice on his own. Sawyer's stuff was her stuff, not yours. Logan chose to leave. But you? You chose to come back home."
Clay smiled, moving his hand to cup her cheek.
"Maybe the stuff happened because of you. But you are not to blame for it."
Lydia nodded, sniffling.
"I still feel like I'm to blame."
"I know. That's human, though."
Lydia sniffled again, then brought her eyes to his.
"Is it going to be okay?"
Clay moved his thumb to catch the tears falling from her eye.
"Yeah, babe. It might take a while to get there, but it's going to be okay again."
Lydia nodded, looking down as she took a shaky breath, then nodding again. She looked up and met Clay's eyes, giving him a soft smile.
"Thanks, Uncle Clay."
"Don't mention it. I love you, okay?"
Lydia sniffled and nodded.
"I love you, too."
Clay leaned over and kissed her forehead, then stood up.
"You better now?"
Lydia nodded, and Clay returned the gesture before he walked around and got back in the driver's seat. Quinn leaned over and kissed his cheek, and Clay watched in the rearview as Jamie unbuckled his seatbelt, sliding over to sit in the middle of the seat, wrapping his arm around Lydia until she leaned into him, resting her head on his shoulder.
"I hear your voice and it keeps me hanging on."
When You Come Back To Me Again, Garth Brooks
Jamie blinked as he came back to consciousness, closing his eyes and yawning widely. He glanced over, and Quinn smiled at him.
"We're home."
Jamie nodded, yawning again, then glancing down. Lydia was asleep against him, her head on his shoulder. He smiled to himself, lifting a hand to pat her hair. He looked over and saw Quinn smiling at them, and he motioned towards his sister.
"She hasn't fallen asleep on me since she was like, what, nine? Ten, maybe?"
Quinn smiled, and Jamie shook his head. He moved to blow softly on Lydia's face, smiling when her nose scrunched up and she moved her head. He did it again, and she lifted a hand to rub at her nose, slowly blinking her eyes open. Jamie let out a quiet laugh, and she sat up, yawning and stretching her arms.
"We're home, little sister."
Lydia turned to look out the window, eyes widening. She unbuckled her seat belt and opened the door, sliding out of the seat and landing on the ground. Clay walked around from the back of the car, Lydia's bag slung over his shoulder.
"Oh, before we go in, there will be some cookies on the counter. Steer clear, trust me."
Lydia glanced back, and Jamie and Quinn both nodded. Lydia let out a quiet laugh, but nodded, watching as Clay walked into the house, followed by Quinn. Jamie stopped on the front stairs, turning back and looking at his sister.
"Lyd?"
She met his eyes, and he motioned with his head.
"You coming?"
Lydia smiled, nodding, taking her time as she walked up the steps and into the house. She walked into the living room, letting out a laugh as she saw Riley's art on display in the "Welcome Home, Lydia" banner. Pale pink and gold balloons were tied to the banner, and an assortment of desserts was set up in the kitchen.
Lydia walked into the kitchen, smiling when she saw Riley, who ran forward, making Lydia laugh when she threw her arms around her.
"Oh, I missed you, Riles! Thank you for this."
"I missed you, too. And I'm glad you're home."
"Me, too."
Lydia smiled as she leaned back and ruffled Riley's sandy-blonde hair. Riley took her hand and pulled her closer to the bar, pointing out the different desserts they had, all happily catered by Brooke, Meg, and Karen's Café. They all sat around and talked, eating until they were far too full, and Lydia excused herself to go and unpack the few things Clay and Quinn had brought to her.
She walked into her bedroom, a sense of relief filling her when she saw that nothing had changed. The walls were still an almost obnoxious-hot pink, and Lydia couldn't help but smile. She walked around the room and touched nearly every piece of furniture, just because she could. She smiled when she saw a cell phone on her bedside table, with a personalized case of a picture Quinn had taken of a field of wildflowers. The photo had always been one of Lydia's favorites.
She slid her finger across the screen, waking the phone up and unlocking it. She sat on her bed and looked through her contact list, stopping at the very first name. She took in a breath, then touched the name, lifting the phone to her ear.
"Hello?"
"Hey, Aunt Brooke."
The call went quiet for a moment, until Brooke's shaky voice sounded.
"Lydia?"
"It's me."
Brooke let out a watery laugh.
"Oh, sweetheart. It's so good to hear your voice!"
"It's good to hear you too, Aunt Brooke. I—I missed you."
Brooke sniffled, and Lydia closed her eyes.
"Please don't cry."
"Oh, honey. I'm just so happy to hear from you. You sound … happy."
"I am happy. I'm happy to be home."
"Oh, I know you are."
Lydia bit her tongue, glancing at the clock beside her bed.
"Is, uh … Are you busy at the café?"
She could almost hear the smile in Brooke's voice.
"No, not right now. Davis and Jude are doing something at school, something with the basketball team or something? But they're coming in tonight."
Lydia smiled, nodding before she remembered that Brooke couldn't see her.
"Oh. Well, I … I think Aunt Quinn said we were going to meet up with you tomorrow?"
"Yes, if you want to come to the cafe, you can, or the store, or we can come to you. Doesn't matter."
Lydia smiled again.
"I can't wait to see you."
"Oh, girl. You can just expect hugs for days, all right?"
Lydia laughed quietly, nodding her head.
"Sounds great. I love you, Aunt Brooke."
"I love you too, sweet girl. See you soon."
Lydia ended the call, falling back on her bed and letting out a sigh. She sat up again when she heard a throat being cleared at her door, and she smiled.
"I see you found our present."
Lydia held up the phone and nodded. Quinn just smiled as she walked into the room.
"I called Aunt Brooke."
"Well, I know she was happy to hear from you."
Lydia nodded, moving to set the phone back on the bedside table, sitting Indian-style on her bed. Quinn sat beside her.
"That phone does not have free reign. If Clay and I think we need to look through it, we will. No passcode that we don't know. We're not just going to go look through your messages, but …"
Lydia nodded.
"I understand. That's fair."
Quinn nodded.
"Now. Let's talk about what's bothering you."
Lydia let out a quiet laugh.
"That obvious?"
"Why don't you just call him, honey?"
Lydia let out a long breath.
"I don't know. What if he doesn't want to talk to me? What if he's upset because I didn't let him come visit me?"
"I highly doubt that will be the case."
Quinn stood up, opening Lydia's bag and walking into her closet. She came out with a clothes basket, and began dropping clothes into it.
"I was going to do that. You don't have to."
Quinn smiled softly.
"I know. But I haven't been able to wash your clothes in a year. Humor me."
Lydia nodded slowly, looking down at her hands.
"I'm sorry."
"Don't apologize."
Lydia nodded again, and Quinn bent to kiss the top of her head.
"Are you hungry?"
Lydia lifted her head, and a soft smile crossed her face.
"Can we order pizza?"
Quinn snorted.
"Why don't you go ask your uncle that? Then let me know what he says."
Lydia nodded, and Quinn followed her out of the room, carrying the clothes basket. She stopped on the stairs when she heard the whoop, rolling her eyes and shaking her head as she walked into the laundry room. Clay came dancing in, just like she knew he would, laughing as he took her into his arms.
"Pizza night."
Quinn rolled her eyes again, and Clay moved to kiss her cheek.
"You remember when she wouldn't eat anything? And now she's asking for pizza. Best day ever, baby."
Quinn laughed, taking his face in her hands and kissing him.
"Don't make any plans for after supper."
Clay raised an eyebrow, and Quinn smiled.
"I have a feeling we'll be driving over to the café for a little while."
Clay nodded slowly, a smile crossing his face when realization came over him. Quinn smiled to herself as she turned back, loading the washing machine.
"Raining down, against the wind, I'm reaching out, 'til we reach the circle's end..."
When You Come Back To Me Again, Garth Brooks
When everyone was stuffed full of pizza, Quinn found Lydia standing in the kitchen, looking out at the backyard as the sun set. Lydia glanced back and smiled, then turned her attention back out the French doors.
"What are you looking at, pretty girl?"
Lydia smiled, letting her fingertips dance across the window pane.
"The hammock's gone."
Quinn went still for a moment, then nodded.
"Yeah, Clay, uh … Clay took it down a few months ago."
Lydia nodded slowly, swallowing. After a moment, she glanced back, to see Quinn smiling softly at her.
"You should talk to him. See if he'll put it back up."
Lydia nodded, a soft smile coming over her face.
"That can wait until tomorrow, though. You ready?"
Lydia's eyes narrowed.
"For what?"
"We've got somewhere to be."
"And you come back to me again."
When You Come Back To Me Again, Garth Brooks
Lydia blinked as she stared up at the lights of the café. Quinn sat beside her in the car, looking up at the sign, then back to Lydia.
"You ready?"
"He's here, isn't he?"
"I'm not 100% sure, but I think so. I didn't call Brooke."
Quinn let out a sigh.
"Maybe this was a bad idea. I thought we might could surprise everyone. We can just go back home."
Quinn went to put the key back in the ignition and Lydia reached over and stopped her.
"No, we … we should go in. We came all this way."
Quinn nodded, and Lydia took a deep breath, then opened her door. Quinn walked around the car and slid her arm through Lydia's as they walked into the café, listening to the bell over the door jingle.
"I'm sorry, we're closed! I haven't gotten to lock the door yet."
Quinn and Lydia exchanged a smile, and Quinn reached up, jingling the bell again, insistently. Brooke's voice sounded again, getting louder as she was obviously walking to the front.
"Look, I'm sorry, but we're already …"
Her dark eyes widened as she saw who was standing at the door, and a hand lifted to her heart.
"Lydia?"
"Hi, Aunt Brooke."
Brooke let out a squeal, hurrying forward to wrap Lydia in her arms. Lydia closed her eyes, taking in a deep breath as Brooke held her close. The familiar "mom" smell that permeated the air around Brooke set Lydia's mind at ease, and she rested her head against Brooke's shoulder. Brooke sniffled, drying her tears as best she could as she held her.
"I have missed you so, so much."
"I missed you too, Aunt Brooke."
"I'm so glad to see you."
Lydia smiled, and Brooke finally pulled back, lifting her hands to touch Lydia's hair, then to cup her face.
"You're feeling okay?"
Lydia smiled again, nodding her head. Brooke nodded back at her, kissing her forehead before resting her own against Lydia's. Lydia smiled, and Brooke spoke softly.
"I sent Meg home with Davis a little while ago, but Jude should be coming back from a quick grocery run in just a few minutes."
Lydia leaned back, eyes wide, and Brooke smiled softly, reaching to run her fingers through Lydia's curls.
"He'll be so happy to see you. I …"
Brooke sighed.
"I didn't get to tell him that you were coming home."
"He doesn't know?"
Brooke shook her head.
"These last couple of weeks have been crazy busy. I've barely seen the boys except for when they've already gone to bed."
"What if he's upset that he didn't know? That he didn't get to come see me or something?"
"Honey."
Brooke smiled, moving to cup Lydia's face in her hands again.
"I bet he doesn't even think about that."
Lydia let out a breath, and Brooke glanced at Quinn as they heard the car pull up. Lydia's eyes were wide.
"Oh, god."
"We can still go. Slip out the back and he'll never know. Brooke can tell him tonight and you can see him tomorrow."
Lydia nodded as Quinn reached over and took her hand. Then, she shook her head.
"No, I … I want to see him. Now."
Brooke smiled.
"Okay then. Quinn and I will be in the back if you need anything, okay?"
Lydia nodded, and Brooke and Quinn slipped away just as the bell over the door rang.
"Mom, how many times do I have to tell you, lock the door when you're here by yourself."
Jude shook his head, locking the door before turning and walking into the café. He came to a hard stop, blinking his dark eyes. He somehow had the clarity of mind to set the grocery bags he carried on a table, then took a step forward, stopping when he was afraid his legs might give out. He swallowed, speaking softly.
"Ly—Lydia?"
The angel that stood before him smiled, tears in her navy blue eyes. She was still thin, but much healthier-looking than she'd been the last time he'd seen her. Her hair was just a bit shorter, curling around her beautiful face, the skin that seemed to glow, even in the dim lighting of the café. One tear slid down her perfect cheek, before her quiet voice rang out.
"Hey Jude."