I tried to have this done by Christmas but I couldn't do it :( So I give you a late Christmas present! Enjoy and Happy New Year.
Chapter Twenty-eight
When Lucas woke up that morning, he spent a few minutes staring at the ceiling fan, thinking about how he got here, the thoughts running through his head like a current. The echoes of Sandra's screams of anguish as she found out her son died; the leftover sounds of Peyton crying as he turned his back on her and walked out; the crash as Ella fell to the floor; and the excruciating pain pressing against his chest as he fell to the ground. When he closed his eyes, he was there, and when he opened them, he was here.
There was a soft knock on the door, and Peyton appeared on the other side, walking slowly over to him. "Hey," she said, holding her black strap heels in one hand. "I'm sorry, did I wake you?"
"No, I was awake," Lucas sat up, watching as his wife took a seat next to him on the edge of the bed, her legs crossed. She was dressed for the day in a white button blouse and black pencil skirt, her makeup and hair done. "You look nice." Lucas placed a hand on Peyton's knee, running it up and down her smooth skin. "Big day today?"
"Just a conference call with some execs from Sire," Peyton said. "No big deal. But after that I should be done." Peyton reached to run a hand down Luke's cheek, and he leaned gratefully into her touch. "You sleep OK?"
"Yeah," Lucas said, the lie flowing easily through his lips. Truthfully, he hated sleeping in the guest room. He wanted his wife next to him again, and he had no idea in hell how that was going to happen.
"Do you want me to make you something to eat quickly before I go?"
"You don't have to," Lucas insisted with a small smile. "I think I can manage. But, I'll walk with you to the living room."
Peyton nodded and Lucas carefully swung his legs from off the bed. He waited a minute or two before standing, grabbing his wife's hand. Together, they walked to the living room, and Lucas watched his wife the whole way. Just how beautiful she could be on a Tuesday morning...just on a Tuesday.
As soon as Luke sat down on the couch, he pulled Peyton to sit on his lap, reaching up to kiss her deeply, pouring all that he felt into that kiss. His hands went from her waist to her hair, slowly and gently, as if he was memorizing every curve and dip of her body. He moaned slightly into the kiss, and Peyton did the same.
"Well you seem to be feeling better," Peyton said, her arms wrapped around his neck, as she reached to wipe the lipstick that had rubbed off on his lip. Luke pressed his lips against her finger.
"It's all you, baby," he said, smiling. He reached to kiss her again, pulling her by the waist. He didn't stop until he felt his tongue in her mouth, wet and warm.
"Luke...I have to go," Peyton said, almost out of breath.
"Don't go yet," Luke pleaded. "Please, don't go," he deepened the kiss again, burying his fingers in his wife's soft waves.
"I'll be back soon. Jamie will be home as soon as he gets off work," she said, as she played with the hairs on the back of his neck. "Ella will be here after school, and don't forget we're having my brother and Lisa over for dinner later." Peyton searched his eyes, as his hands moved from her back to his waist. "Is that OK? Will you be up for it?"
"It's just dinner, babe," Lucas said. "I won't collapse." He watched Peyton's expression melt into one of fear. "I'm joking," he said quickly. "Just joking."
"Not funny," Peyton replied, turning to put on her heels. Before heading to the front door, she leaned in for one more kiss. "Call me if you need anything."
"Good luck," Lucas said, squeezing her hand. Sitting on the couch bed, he watched his wife leave, wondering what he was going to do with his day.
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Hey... I don't want to apologize over text, but I really need to talk to you.
Can you meet me in the darkroom?
I shoved my phone in my pocket and headed to the fourth floor to Mr. Reiser's darkroom, where Adrian spent most of his time here at THH.
The classroom was open, but Mr. Reiser was long gone. He trusted Adrian enough to leave him the darkroom after hours. When I carefully headed into the darkroom, an orange-red glow washed over me. "Hello?"
Adrian walked out of the shadows, blending in perfectly with the environment. It was like he was meant to be there all along. "Hi baby," he said gently, and I could see the pain in his eyes. He was distancing himself from me, and I hated it.
I placed my crutches gently against the wall and turned to him again. "What's up?"
Adrian sighed heavily and walked towards me. "Can we just..." he brought me into his arms, and I wanted to push him away, but I didn't have the heart to. "Ella I'm so sorry. I didn't mean– I've just been so stressed out and upset but I didn't mean to push you away."
"It's been almost a week Adrian. What the hell? Can you just tell me what's going on? I'm worried."
Adrian ran a hand through his hair. When I almost lost my balance, he reached for my hand and I didn't pull away. "I think my parents might be getting a divorce."
Just like that, all the air was sucked out of the room and we were left in this vacuum of bad news. The darkness covered Adrian's face well, but I was almost certain there were tears in his eyes.
"Oh my God," I said, moving closer to him. "Are you...are you sure?"
"Ella, my mom told my dad about her affair."
"...When?"
"Last week." Adrian grabbed my hand and held on tightly. "It was a huge fight. Mom was crying for six hours straight after Dad left." Adrian reached up to kiss my hand. "I've just been trying to...make sense of it. I didn't mean to pull away for a week, I...I swear. I'm so sorry!"
"Adrian, you could've told me. You know I would've been there for you."
"I know, I know...I'm such an idiot. Can you forgive me?" I didn't say anything for a second, so he said, "I love you."
I sighed, "I love you too. Just...don't shut me out, OK? I'm here."
Adrian nodded, and we sat in the stillness for a little while.
"You wanna come over? Uncle Derek and Aunt Lisa are coming over for dinner."
"I don't wanna intrude."
"You won't. Aunt Lisa wants to meet you."
Adrian smiled. "Oh. Well in that case..." He brushed a piece of my hair behind my ear.
"This is nice," I said, relishing in the quiet and the darkness. "No wonder you spend so much time in here."
"Yeah. I kinda like it, too." he nudged my knee with his own, and gave me that look.
"...What?" I asked, and soon the butterflies arrived.
"You ever make out in a dark room?"
I laughed, my cheeks burning red. "What do you think?"
"Come here," he said, draping my legs across his lap. Then, he kissed me.
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Lucas had gravitated from the bed in the guest room to the recliner in the living room, his legs sprawled out in front of him. He had managed to make himself a sandwich for lunch before nearly collapsing from exhaustion. Underneath the blanket on the recliner was where he curled up for a nap, but not before sending Peyton a quick text:
Good luck with your cc today, beautiful :) I know you'll do great.
He shut his eyes, thinking of her in flashes. Her smile, her laugh, her mind, her soul. And, of course, the body that drove him crazy. With his wife on his mind, Lucas fell into slumber.
It was only a while later did Lucas hear a crash in the kitchen. He woke with a start, turning left and right. "Hello?" Lucas carefully pushed the blanket off his legs, swung them from off the edge of the chair, and began taking small steps towards the kitchen. "Jamie?"
When Lucas did make it to the kitchen, he wasn't alarmed, but surprised to see his guest.
Larry Sawyer turned, drying dishes at the sink. His eyes washed over his son-in-law and couldn't help but chuckle. "Well. This is a little like dé jávu, don't you think?"
Lucas remembered, in fragments, the first time he met Larry Sawyer: just another regular day in Tree Hill where Lucas was going to visit Peyton and thought there was a burglar in her kitchen.
"If you were anybody else, I would've had my rake out," Lucas joked, leaning heavily on the kitchen counter. Larry didn't find it nearly as amusing. Instead the man nodded, and Lucas felt the pressure of his gaze.
"So," Larry began, setting down the plate on the counter and shoving his hands into his jeans pocket. "This is it, huh? I mean...you left that flat and now you're living with my daughter again. This is it?"
Lucas took a breath and nodded. "Yeah. Yeah I guess it is."
Larry removed the toothpick from his mouth, leaning on the counter across from Lucas. "Well, lemme ask you something," Larry paused, looked back to his son-in-law and said, "What the hell are you doing?"
Lucas nodded his head, taking another deep breath. He should've known this was coming. "What the hell am I doing. Well...I just had a major heart attack, and now after a really rough time, I'm back with my wife and daughter. And...we're figuring things out now. Together."
Lucas watched as Larry walked closer, and his heart began to pound in his chest. "Let me ask you a favor then, Lucas."
"OK."
"Could you try harder?" Larry asked. "The way I see it...because of the mistake you made in leaving, my daughter is heartbroken."
Lucas said nothing. Just bowed his head and let Larry continue on.
"Look... I know you guys have been going through some stuff. Ryan, the miscarriage...it's a lot. And I may not know the exact circumstances, but I can always see when my daughter is heartbroken."
"Sounds like you know the circumstances to me," Lucas said, sounding way more confident than he felt.
"Regardless if I know or not know," Larry said. "You guys are going through a rough time, and you're just gonna give up?"
"I'm not giving up," Lucas said loudly. "Larry, that's why I'm here. I want them back, both of them."
Larry nodded. "When I walked Peyton down the aisle, I gave her to you. And I was so proud. And I was so sure...and I still am." Larry looked up to see the soft shock in Lucas' blue eyes. "I still am sure of the man that I gave her to. I know what kind of a guy he is. I made a vow to support you and her in that marriage. I took you on as a son."
The words hit harder than Lucas' ever expected, and he got teary eyed. "I know. I never meant..."
Larry held up his hand. "I know. But it still happened. It happened, and what matters now is you trying to fix it."
"I am," Lucas said. "I'll do whatever it takes to make things better."
"That's the Lucas I know talking," Larry said. "Do what you have to do, son."
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When Peyton opened the door to her home, she headed straight to the living room. She was about to call out Lucas' name until she found him, asleep on the recliner. A book was sprawled across his chest, his cell phone resting on his thigh. Peyton picked it up and placed it on the armrest, before she leaned down and kissed Lucas' cheek. "Wake up," she said in his ear, before kissing that, too.
"Hey," Lucas said, his voice laced with sleep. He rubbed his eyes until they opened fully to see his wife looking down at him. Lucas chuckled as he sat up, putting his hand around Peyton's wrist. "Guess I'm right back where I started." Is it obvious that I spent the day doing...nothing?"
Peyton chuckled. "Only to those paying attention."
"Right." Lucas placed a strand of hair behind Peyton's ear. "How did your conference call go?"
"It...went," Peyton said. "We got what we wanted."
Lucas nodded, and he couldn't ignore the nagging voice in his head that said he'd failed her as a husband, most especially now, and most especially with the small details, the small moments...even as small as asking about her day. Lucas found himself wanting to know everything again, anything and everything she'd be willing to share.
Peyton leaned in and placed a small kiss on his lips, his hand running up and down her arm. "Thanks for that text message," she whispered.
"You're welcome," Lucas said, and just for a second he wished she could curl up next to him, that they could close themselves off to the world for just one night. He opened his mouth to tell her, but she said:
"God, Lisa and my brother will be here in an hour. I've gotta get started."
Any other time, Lucas would've offered to help in the kitchen, of course if he could stand up for more than 20 minutes without getting tired. But Peyton had that look in her eye, like she was on a mission...and Lucas knew that cooking was her refuge...just some calm tunes and good smells, and Peyton would be fine. With an ache in his chest, Lucas remembered the days where he could soothe his wife without the help of food or music.
"Peyt, I'm gonna jump in the shower," Lucas called, as he headed slowly to the stairs.
"Ok!" Peyton called back, hurriedly busying herself in the kitchen.
Almost as if it was magic, Peyton had prepared a simple pasta dinner by the time her brother rang the doorbell.
"There's my crazy sister," Derek said, a soft smile on his face. He carried a box, most likely carrying desert inside of it. Lisa hung onto Derek's arm, dressed for the occasion. She covered the circles under her eyes with makeup, her lips dipped in the perfect shade of lipstick as her mouth curved into a most charming of smiles.
Peyton hugged her brother tightly. "Hey animal."
Derek chuckled at her greeting. "You look rested. I missed that smile," he whispered in her ear, and Lisa heard and watched them both.
"He's home."
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By the time I heard my aunt and uncle's voices radiate through the house, Adrian and I were done setting the table with appetizers, and I watched somewhat in awe as my boyfriend expertly opened a bottle of Rioja. "You're good at that," I said.
"Yeah...my dad's a bit of a wine connoisseur."
"Oh, by the way, my uncle Derek's an ex-marine." I watched as Adrian's face paled and I couldn't help but laugh. "He's harmless. I mean, he's seen things I've never seen in my life and suffered from PTSD for a while, but he's harmless."
Aunt Lisa walked into the dining room, stylish and all. "Hello?" she called, with her big, friendly smile.
"Hi Aunt Lisa," letting her envelop me in a hug and cover me in her perfume. "Are you wearing Brooke Davis?"
"You're good," Aunt Lisa said, kissing my cheek. I watched as Aunt Lisa made eye contact with Adrian. "You must be the boyfriend," she said, holding out her hand for a shake. "I'm Lisa."
Adrian shook her hand easily and without hesitance. "Adrian," he said. "I've heard so much about you. ER nurse, right?"
"For twelve years," Lisa said, as she took a seat at the table.
"Lisa I know you're not a wine fan, so I got you some Dos XX."
Aunt Lisa turned to my mother. "Oh honey, you know me so well. Gotta have my beers." We laughed as Uncle Derek took a seat across from his wife. "Right, hon?"
"Right. Where's Luke, Peyt?"
"Yeah, where is he? How's he doing?" Aunt Lisa asked, munching on a piece of cheese.
"He's in the shower...he's actually been in there a really long time." I watched as concern radiated from Mom's eyes as she made her way to the staircase. "Let me go check on him. Be right back."
"So, Ella, what's going on, babe?" Aunt Lisa asked casually, and she wore a knowing look in her eye.
"Not much–"
"LISA!"
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Peyton quickly made her way upstairs, the clack of her heels echoing off the walls. She walked through the master bedroom, ignoring a weird feeling in the pit of her stomach. "Luke?" Peyton called, knocking on the bathroom door. "Are you OK?" When Lucas didn't answer, Peyton opened the door and saw his clothes neatly folded on top of the hamper. The cold feeling in her stomach grew.
"...Peyt..." came Lucas' voice, but it wasn't strong and assured as it was from earlier.
Peyton shoved the shower curtain aside, her eyes fearful when she saw her husband sitting in the tub, naked, and leaning against the cool tiles. "Lucas!" she shouted, turning off the hot water. "What's the matter!" His face was pale, void of all its color, and his lips blue. Without waiting a second longer, clothed and all, Peyton climbed into the tub beside the love her of life. "Lucas, talk to me!"
"I don't...feel..."
Peyton watched in terror as Lucas' eyes rolled back into his head and his arms went limp.
"LISA!"
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The calm, jovial atmosphere of just a second ago changed instantly. Aunt Lisa jumped up from her chair so fast it fell backward, as she ran to the sound of my mother's voice. "Peyton!"
"Mom?!"
Uncle Derek appeared to be alert but calm at the same time. He too jumped from his chair, sending me a look that said, stay. He followed his wife. "Lisa!" He called, going up the stairs two at a time.
"What the hell's going on?" I asked, heading for the stairs as fast as I could go without falling. I heard Adrian right behind me.
"Wait here, Ella," Uncle Derek said, before he disappeared from the landing.
Right then, Jamie arrived, pulling a white earbud from his ear. "Hey Fruitcake," he greeted, his eyes filling in concern once he saw the look on my face. "What's the matter?"
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"What happened?!" Lisa asked, storming through the bedroom and master bathroom to see her sister-in-law crouching in the bathtub with all her clothes on, and Lucas with all his clothes off, his head hanging loosely back, his eyes closed.
"He just fainted! I came up here and he was sitting down...oh my God...Lucas!"
Lisa grabbed a blue towel and draped it over Lucas' bare waist. She kneeled over the bathtub edge, and she took Lucas' left wrist in her hand, checking for his pulse. "Lucas," she said, her voice calm but authoritative. "Lucas," she said again.
Derek knew better than to interrupt, but he watched from the doorway of the bathroom, ready to spring into action if asked.
Lisa checked her wristwatch, still checking Lucas' pulse. "Lucas, open your eyes," she demanded.
When Lucas' eyes finally fluttered open, the first person he saw was his wife, breathing in relief.
"He's back," Lisa said. "Lucas, you alright? You scared us all for a minute or two."
Lucas craned his neck to see Lisa and Derek, and the blue bath towel covering his waist. "...At least..." he took a deep breath, "At least I'm half decent." Lisa laughed but only slightly. "What hap...what happened?"
"You fainted," Peyton said, grabbing Lucas' hand. "You scared the hell out of me."
Lucas swallowed, his mouth pasty. "I wasn't...feeling right, so I sat down."
"Good," Lisa said. "The last thing we want is you falling and hitting your head."
Peyton kissed Lucas' hand in hers, and he smiled gently at her. Then, he flinched and leaned his cheek on the cool tiles. "What's wrong!?"
"If you feel like you're going to faint again, I want you to put your head down," Lisa demanded. She gently pushed Lucas by his shoulder so that his chin was hitting his chest. "Down."
As Peyton rubbed up and down Lucas' left arm, Lisa stood up and filled a glass with tap water. When she turned back around, Lucas was fully sitting up. "Your color's back," Lisa said. "Your lips aren't blue anymore. Sit there for a few minutes."
"Yes Ma'am," Lucas said, as Lisa handed him the glass of water, and he drank it in desperate gulps. "Have I mentioned how much I love having you in the family?"
Lisa laughed heartily. "Good. I'm here to stay."
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"Uncle Derek, what's wrong with my mom?!" I demanded, as my uncle came down the stairs. Adrian grabbed my hand and Jamie put his hand on my shoulder.
"Your mother's fine, honey. It's your dad. He fainted in the shower."
"...Is he OK?"
"He's going to be alright. He's just weak from the heart attack." Uncle Derek leaned closer to me when he saw my face. "No fear," he whispered in my ear, and I nodded. Uncle Derek motioned to my cousin. "Jamie, I'm gonna need your help. Lisa doesn't want Luke standing up on his own just yet."
Jamie nodded without question and followed Uncle Derek up the stairs, leaving Adrian and me alone. "Jesus."
"I know," Adrian said, bringing me into his arms almost like a reflex.
I said nothing, just held Adrian tightly, inhaling his sweet scent. "I want to go upstairs," I said, and Adrian knew better than to refute me. So, hand in hand, we made our way upstairs, through the master bedroom to the master bath.
I saw Mom standing in the bathtub, her heels strewn on the the floor. She was holding a blue towel tightly around Dad's waist, as Uncle Derek stood on one side and Jamie on the other side.
"Lift your leg leg up and over the tub nice and slow," Aunt Lisa instructed. Uncle Derek took Dad's right arm, and Jamie Dad's left. They both helped him over the tub, and they walked slowly across the bathroom towards me. He was weak, his movements slow and careful. He was putting nearly all his weight on Uncle Derek and Jamie, but they didn't care. Jamie held out his other arm in case Dad felt faint, and Uncle Derek did the same.
"I need to lie down," Dad announced.
"Almost there Lucas."
"Ella, watch out," Adrian said gently, ushering me to the side so my father, uncle, and cousin could pass us by. I watched helplessly as Mom pulled back the comforter so Dad could lay down. As he sat on the edge of the bed, Aunt Lisa gently raised his legs so he could lie back, still draped in a towel. The fan on the ceiling began to spin.
"Better?" Mom asked softly.
"OK guys, I think we should let Luke rest," Aunt Lisa said, leading all of us out of the room. She turned back to Mom, who mouthed thank you to her.
As Aunt Lisa closed the door to the bedroom, she put an arm around my shoulder. "You OK?"
"...Yeah," Ella said. "It was just a little scary."
"Of course it's scary. But your dad's strong."
I nodded, smelling more of Aunt Lisa's perfume. It was like Aunt Brooke was in the room with us, too.
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"Peyt," Lucas said, his voice soft, as Peyton pulled the covers over his waist, gently pulling off the damp blue towel. Lucas sighed in relief as his bare skin hit the cool sheets. "Can you lie down with me?"
Nice outfit and all, Peyton pulled back the covers to lie down next to her husband. He brought his arm to wrap around her waist, and she ran a hand up his arm. Washed over by the dim light from the bedside lamp and the gentle breeze from the ceiling fan, they lay together. Though Lucas was shivering from the shower water, Peyton made him warm, and he pulled her as close as possible. "Sorry for ruining your dinner," Lucas said, tracing lines down Peyton's arm, bringing his hand to gently stroke her cheek.
Peyton rolled her eyes, leaning to kiss his forehead. "Luke, you scared the hell out of me," she said again, running her thumb down his nose and kissing his lips. Luke rested his hand on her cheek, kissing her like it was the last time he ever would.
"Babe?" Lucas swallowed, inhaled deeply. "I saw Ryan."
Luke watched as the confusion entered Peyton's eyes, only replaced by a deeper sense of worry. "What?" she whispered, gently tipping Luke's chin so he could look her in the eye.
"I mean...when I fainted just now. I...I saw him. I spoke with him."
"What was he saying to you?"
Lucas shook his head, but the look in his wife's eyes urged him to go on. "He was saying, 'Coach, Coach...' and I...heard it. When he...the last day. I heard his last day. I know...I know it's crazy...but it was so real. I could hear when he...hit the water."
"Oh God, Luke..."
"I know it's...painful. I just wanna be honest with you. This isn't...the first time. All those nights I didn't sleep...I felt Ryan there. The only question I wanted to ask was "Why", but I knew I'd never get an answer. He couldn't answer me!" Tears fell from Lucas' eyes. "All of this is my fault."
"Lucas, what happened to Ryan is NOT your fault."
"Then how come it feels like it is?" Lucas asked, and Peyton wiped away his tears.
"Because you loved him, and you feel guilty, feel like you could've done something to help him. I guarantee you everyone who loved Ryan feels that guilt... but you need to let that guilt go, baby. I know you might not be ready now, but when you are, I'll be right here."
Lucas swallowed, and Peyton saw the dark circles under his eyes. He brought Peyton's hand to his lips and kissed it, running his fingers over her knuckles. "I have a confession to make." He brought Peyton's hair behind her ears. "When Charna visited me in the hospital, I asked if she thought it a good idea to bring you to a session."
Peyton paused for a second, and her stomach doubled over in a flip. "Yeah?"
Luke nodded. " I...I think it would be great for us. All your talk about moving forward together..." He searched his wife's eyes. "Would that be OK with you?"
Peyton nodded, biting her lip. She moved closer to him, running her hand through his hair. "Whatever you need."
Lucas leaned in and kissed away his wife's lipstick, pulling her close by her waist, running his hand up her back. "I love you beautiful," he said when they pulled away.
"I love you, too," she said. She checked the time on the alarm clock behind Luke's shoulder. "I think I gotta get back out there."
"I'm coming with you."
When Peyton got out of the bed, Luke immediately missed her warmth. When he did the same, Peyton put her hand on his chest gently. "Wait a few minutes."
"Can you help me?" Lucas' voice was soft and Peyton almost didn't hear him. She grabbed clothes from Lucas' closet and laid them on the bed, first starting with the sleeveless white undershirt that Lucas often wore underneath his nice button downs. She pulled that over his head, then knelt to slip his gray briefs on. She saw her husband's cheeks flush with a little color, and hers did too.
"This isn't the first time I've helped dressed you, Luke," Peyton said, as Lucas lifted his hips so the briefs could go on completely.
"I know. It's just that usually...you do the undressing."
Peyton really blushed and she could bring herself to meet her husband's beautiful blue, heated gaze. She slid dark wash jeans up his legs, and she knew her husband had an unobstructed view down her blouse. He swallowed so hard she heard it, and when her hands grazed his thigh, he took a sharp breath. "You OK?"
Lucas nodded. You drive me absolutely insane. He took her hands and helped her up from the floor, where he then slowly stood up to pull his jeans over his waist. Peyton chose the charcoal gray button down, and Lucas ran his hands down her arms as she buttoned the shirt for him. "Thank you," he said in her ear, kissing her temple.
"You're welcome," Peyton said, kissing his cheek. With Lucas' eyes on her, she walked over to her armoire and reapplied her lipstick in front of the mirror. "You ready?" she asked, holding out her hand.
Lucas walked slowly over to his wife. "I'd go anywhere with you."
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"Lucas, good as new," Aunt Lisa said, with a smile on her face. She stood up to kiss Dad on the cheek, and he wrapped her arms around her. "Great to see you hon."
"Always great to see you Lisa," Dad said, patting her on the back. He tipped his head to nod at Adrian, who held out his hand for a handshake. Dad took a seat next to Mom at the table, and started making a small plate of appetizers for himself. "How goes things in the emergency room? Can't say I wasn't glad to see you there my visit."
"Oh God. I never want to see you there again Luke," Aunt Lisa said, a smile on her face. "You should've seen a few nights ago, there was a gun shot wound to the chest. There's a lot of blood clots that day."
Mom cringed. "I couldn't do what you do."
"It's the rush," Aunt Lisa replied, and a whim entered her brown eyes as she sipped her Dos XX. "The high."
"It's pretty much the same reason I joined the Army," Uncle Derek, and Aunt Lisa turned to him. I watched the adoration enter her eyes, and it was no secret that they were in love. "Well...it's not the only reason. The military fixed me up."
"He was not good," Aunt Lisa said, motioning to my mother. "Isn't that what he told you?"
Mom nodded. "He did. That was at Camp Lejeune...God, I remember that day."
Uncle Derek smiled, nursing his beer. "Yeah, and the only reason I spoke with you was because of a certain brooding blonde over here," we turned to my father, who began picking at the table. "He wouldn't leave me alone!"
"Aw," Aunt Lisa said, as Adrian and I listened. I watched my father turn to my mother, and I saw something in his eyes I hadn't seen in a really long time. "He loved you even then."
Mom rolled her eyes, and I saw tears lining them, but Dad kept looking at her. It was their moment, and we were all intruding. "I did," Dad said.
Mom shyly took Dad's hand on the table. It was then that I knew. Underneath the jovial small talk about work, school, the old days...Mom and Dad's love still remained strong. Even now, through everything, they still loved each other–and we could all tell from just one look.
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A day or two passed...and when Adrian and I walked hand in hand into his bedroom, I nudged his shoulder. "What're you thinking?"
Adrian sighed, pulling me to sit next to him on the edge of the bed. "I just have a bad feeling, Ella. Remember how we talked about omens?"
"Yeah," I answered. "Did you see something?"
"I'm pretty sure seeing your mom cheating on your dad is as bad as it gets," Adrian said, taking my hand. "I don't know how to make it go away." I gently placed my hand underneath Adrian's gray sweater, rubbing up and down his back. He shut his eyes and blew out an exasperated breath of air at the feel of my hands on his skin.
I watched him, my thoughts beginning to race. Adrian looked distraught, so I said, "Take your shirt off."
Adrian raised his eyebrows at me, but nonetheless did as he was told, lifting his sweater over his head.
"I want to make you feel better," I said, lightly pushing him to lie on his stomach. "Just forget for a little while."
"How?"
I slid off the bed for only one second to reach for some of Adrian's odorless body lotion. Then, I walked over to his I-Home and turned on some Coltrane, making sure his bedroom door was locked. When that was done, I walked haphazardly back to the bed, climbed up and settled next to my boyfriend, resting my weight on my hip. I squeezed some lotion onto my hands and began rubbing his back, going over every crevice of his skin from his spine to his shoulder blades. I listened to his deep breathing as his body relaxed under my hands. I pressed my thumbs lightly into his spine, and he let out little moans of approval. He asked me to press into his shoulder blades, and I did. I bent down to kiss his cheek, and when I was finished, I tapped his waist with my palm, still slick with lotion.
Adrian turned over, resting his head on the pillow, smiling a satisfied crooked smile. "Thank you," he said. "I needed that." He pulled me closer to kiss his warm lips, and the sheets moved underneath us as we adjusted to each other. Our hands began wandering, and I traced patterns on his chest with my fingers. I heard his moans as he kissed me fervently, his hand running up my back. When Adrian's tongue wiped across my lip, I pulled away. "Wait," I said, out of breath. "I wasn't...I wasn't done."
"You weren't?" Adrian asked, totally unsuspecting of what I wanted to do to him. "What else is there?"
Knees shaking with nerves, I quickly took off my t-shirt. I saw my boyfriend staring and my cheeks got pink. "Ella?"
"Shh," I said, and with difficulty I separated my spastic legs, putting one on each side of Adrian's waist. I could feel all the weight go to my knees, and I had to hide my cringe. "Put your hands here," I said, guiding Adrian to place his hands on my hamstrings to steady me.
"Are you OK like this?" Adrian asked, concern in his gorgeous eyes. He was staring up at me so passionately I wanted to cry.
"Remember Utah?"
"...Yeah," Adrian answered, getting distracted with my hand. I rubbed up his happy trail, up his abs and then down again, circling around his nipples then trailing back down.
"I wanna make you feel what I felt..."
"Baby..."
My hands stopped at the hem of Adrian's jeans, and I deftly undid the button and zipper. "Show me," I said, with everything I felt in the green of my eyes.
Adrian let out a long, heated breath as he looked up at me. My hands were shaking, and when he curled his hand around my wrist, they calmed. "Ella...we don't..."
"Show me," I said again, my voice composed and calm.
With Adrian's gentle hand on my wrist, I pulled down his jeans to see his erection pushing against his boxer shorts, and my cheeks filled with color.
"See what you do to me?" Adrian whispered, his face contorted almost in pain. In just a few moments that pain was going to wash away and melt into pleasure–I was sure of it. With my hand in his, I pulled down his boxers and exposed him, his arousal throbbing and awaiting my sensual touch. "Sweetheart," he said, desire leaking through every letter. "Please..."
I took a minute just to look at him, every inch of him, so vulnerable and vulnerable only for me. I had to take that minute to make sure every passing second was actually real. Adrian slowly placed my hand on his shaft, and he was hard and warm at the same time as I felt his most sensitive skin pulsing like a heartbeat against my palm.
"This way," Adrian said, craning his neck to look down. He moved our hands up and down his shaft slowly, and I watched the pleasure glaze his beautiful eyes.
With only one hand on my leg, my muscles tensed up and I used my other hand to press down on his belly, afraid I was going to fall.
"I have you," Adrian said. "What if I put my hand here?" He moved his left hand to my waist while his right stayed with mine. "Are you OK like that?"
"Fine," I said, and together we moved our hands. I was careful, gentle and shy, watching as my boyfriend leaned his head back against the pillow and closed his eyes.
"Feels so good," he said, and after a while he moved his left hand from my wrist to my waist, so that he was holding me up as I stroked him generously.
"Yeah?" Carefully, I moved my left hand to start massaging the rest of him, being gentle and firm at the same time.
"Fuck," he cursed, his eyes shut tightly. "Please...keep going..."
Adrian's voice was soft as he pleaded to me, and of course I did as he asked. When my spastic muscles flared up, I grabbed fistfuls of the bedsheets to steady myself. Adrian tightened his grip on my waist and my knees burned in pain. "Oh...you OK baby?"
"Sorry," I said, expertly ignoring the pain in my knees.
"Sorry for what?" Adrian asked, watching me. Once I felt balanced, I resumed my ministrations.
"Close your eyes again," I whispered, moving my hand slowly. I watched as the muscles in Adrian's stomach tightened.
"Ella...I'm gonna..." he breathed, and I quickened my hand as he had when I was close to the edge that night in Utah.
"I know..." I said, watching as his face contorted in pleasure, as he went from warm to hot and came all over the sheets and all over my hands. He breathed heavily as I ran my moist hand on his stomach.
Adrian pulled me down on top of him and I laughed. "Thank you so much," he whispered, moving the hair from my face. "I saw you blushing..." he said, grinning like the Cheshire Cat.
"I was not!"
"Yes you were. You're so cute..." He leaned up to kiss me gently. "My baby." He ran his hands up my arms and knitted his eyebrows at my goosebumps. "You cold? Want to get under the covers?"
I nodded, and together we pulled back the warm covers on his bed and climbed under them, curling up with one another. Adrian immediately put his arm around me, and I breathed in the scent on his fluffy pillow. My stomach doubled over in nerves with something as simple as brushing the hair away from my neck and kissing it.
"Gummy?"
"Yeah?"
Adrian traced patterns on my back, gently putting his thumb under my bra strap, and my stomach tightened. I waited with baited breath as my boyfriend undid my bra strap, brushing the red straps off my shoulders. "This OK?" He kissed my right shoulder, and I grabbed my bra and tossed it somewhere.
My heart was racing, and after a second to compose myself, I turned, exposing myself to the boy who entered my life in the time it takes to crash to the floor.
Adrian swallowed as his eyes drank in my shapely breasts, not too big yet, but modest and a little bigger than the palms of my hands. When I blushed and lowered my eyes, Adrian put a hand on my chin. "Hey," he whispered, and I looked up at him. "You're beautiful."
I reached up and brushed Adrian's thick hair from his forehead. "Did I make it go away?" I breathed, and Adrian pulled me against him, and we lay chest to chest.
"You always do," he said. "You're perfect for me. I love you so much..." He kissed my lips, and they parted so his tongue could rest by mine.
When we pulled apart to breathe, I said, "I love you too baby..." I combed my fingers through his hair. "Did I make you feel..."
"Out of this world?" Adrian finished for me. "Wasn't it obvious?" he said, laughing. He leaned in and our noses touched. "You make me so hard..."
"Stop!" I giggled, and he kissed my forehead.
"It's true. Please don't be insecure," he said gently. "It breaks my heart." Adrian took my hand and began to play with it. "I see Nicky and I see you and I think...you both have so much love to give."
"Adrian..."
"Ella, it's true. I think I knew the moment you fell into Angela's classroom," he said, grinning.
"Oh God," I said, laughing. "That was mortifying."
"It brought me to you," he said. I leaned in to kiss him, and that's how we stayed until we were no longer in an empty house.
-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-
"Ugh," Sheff said, burying his head in his hands. "I can't look at this damn paper anymore!"
We sat alone in the Tutor Center, as all the other tutors and students had gone home. I had to wait until Aunt Haley finished her big meeting before she could give me a ride home. Jamie didn't get off work until 7, and Dad was still at home recovering.
I laughed. "I know, I know. We're almost done with the line editing, hang on."
"Why're we doing this again?"
"Because you need to pass Mr. Kelly's English class?" I tried, marking Sheff's essay with my signature red pen.
"Man, fuck that guy." Sheff turned to me, and I felt him watching me as I marked up his essay gratuitously. We hadn't talked about...well. Not much since Sheff admitted he lied just to spend more time with me. I had this naïve notion that if I ignored it, it would go away. Boy, was I wrong. "Hey," he said, and I turned to him, slowly. "How's your dad doing?"
It was the first time Sheff hadn't referred to my father as Coach, and it took me by surprise. "...You know about that?"
"Ella, pretty much the whole school knows about it," Sheff said, peering over my shoulder. "Damn, you're meticulous."
"Wait, how does the whole school know?" I pressed, placing my pen down.
"Come on. You know news travels fast around here. Your dad hasn't been in practice for a whole week. Even I understand that your dad would rather live in a cave then hand over his team to McCallum. Mrs. JS probably spoke to them when their coach didn't show up to the second practice in a row."
I nodded. "Right."
"So, is he doing OK?"
"Yeah...yeah. He's doing fine," I said, suspecting it was a lie anyway. "Thanks for asking."
"Of course," Sheff said, nudging my shoulder. "How about you? You've seemed so...business like, ever since I told you I lied to be tutored by you."
"Business-like?"
"You know what I mean. What's up?"
I sighed, putting down Sheff's essay. "You want me to tell you some big secret or some personal revelation about myself?"
Sheff shrugged. "...Sure."
"I've got nothing," I said plainly, and Sheff laughed.
"Seriously? I don't buy it."
I moved the hair from my eyes, about to reply when there was a knock on the door. Sheff and I turned to see a most unexpected guest. She stood in the doorway, unsure, quiet, and shy.
"...Hey," I said, watching her carefully. Sheff watched the two of us and grabbed his essay right as I finished marking it.
"Uh...thanks a lot, Ella. You're the best. I can finish this on my own."
"We still have ten minutes."
"Don't worry," Sheff said, patting my arm. "I'll catch you later."
Katie walked slowly into the Tutor Center, rubbing her hands together. "I'm sorry, I...I didn't mean to interrupt."
"No, don't worry about it," I said, putting one hand on the table to steady myself. "...What's up?"
Katie swallowed. "Um... I just wanted...I wanted to talk to you, and I was wondering if that's OK."
"Katie, of course it's Ok. You know you can always talk to me. Even if we haven't seen each other in weeks."
"Months," Katie corrected. "I know it's been a really long time...and it's totally my fault."
I waited patiently and I could tell it was painful for Katie to speak.
"Can we...can you come over later? Maybe we can talk then."
"Will we? The last time you said that months flew by."
"I know, I know...look. Tonight around 9ish?"
I sighed, beginning to pack up my stuff as it was my day to close the Tutor Center. "Ok. I can do that."
"OK," Katie said, clearly relieved. "Ok. How's your dad doing?" she asked, on her way out.
I stared at my best friend and thought to myself, if you only knew. "He's gonna be fine."
Katie nodded. "I'm glad. Um...I guess I'll see you tonight."
-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x
"Hey, Dad!" Matthew called, grinning from ear to ear. He paused his PS4 game and turned to his father, who took a seat next to him.
Nathan spotted a card underneath Matthew's thigh. "Whatcha got there, bud?"
Matthew pulled the card from under his thigh. It said Get Well Soon in colorful, fun script. "It's a card Mom made me sign for Uncle Luke."
"Ah," Nathan nodded. "Been a while since you've seen your uncle Luke, huh Mattie?"
"Not since he came home from the hospital. When I visited, I was only allowed to stay for five minutes and he was sleeping."
"I remember," Nathan said. His eyes darted from the large window showing the sunny blue sky, back to his son. "What do you say we go visit your uncle Luke?"
Matthew grinned like it was the best news he ever received. "Really? But I'm supposed to be...home sick." Matthew darted his father's gaze as the top of his ears turned pink.
"Uh-huh," Nathan said, shaking his head. "Come on. Get ready and I'll get your sister."
"Kay," Matthew said, dutifully turning off his game console. "Think we'll see Jamie?!"
"Aw... I think Jamie's at work, buddy."
"Oh. Right. OK!" Matthew hurriedly made his way to his room as Nathan went to wake Olivia up from her nap.
The car ride to Lucas' house was pleasant, and Nathan let himself in with his spare key. The house was warm and inviting, as always. "Hello?"
"Uncle Luke!"
Nathan urged his son to follow him, and together they made their way to the living room, where Lucas had fallen asleep on the recliner. Matthew turned to his father, who had pushed his finger to his lips, signaling for them to be quiet. They tiptoed to the recliner, where Nathan placed Olivia on Lucas' lap.
"Wake up Uncle Lucas," Nathan told his daughter, with Mattie wearing a goofy smile.
Olivia placed a sloppy kiss on her uncle's cheek, and Lucas' eyes fluttered open. Upon seeing his niece, he smiled, albeit sleepily. "Olivia," he said. "Hi sweetheart!"
Olivia giggled and grabbed her uncle's hand. "Hi Uncle Lukey!"
"I missed you. What're you doing here?"
Olivia shrugged shyly and turned to her father. Nathan smiled and said. "We're here to get you outta that recliner and outside. It's a beautiful day."
Lucas sighed and leaned back into his chair, holding Olivia tightly. "Nate, I can barely make it to the corner without feeling like I'm gonna pass out."
"Well you gotta start somewhere," Nathan insisted. "The more you do it, the more your body will get used to it and the healthier you'll get. I'm sure Dr. Chu didn't send you home with the expectation that you'd sit on your butt all day."
"I'm...reading," Lucas answered weakly pointing to the book he had yet to even open.
"Yeah yeah whatever. Come on, Lukey," Nathan teased, and Lucas had no choice but to leave the recliner chair and follow his younger brother and niece and nephew.
Nathan was right, it was a beautiful day. The sky was a bright blue and the sun was shining. "You can do it Uncle Luke," Matthew championed, walking backwards as Olivia eyed his every move.
"I feel like a grandpa," Lucas said, the pain coming and going as they walked farther and farther away from the house.
Nathan laughed. "Must be how you felt whenever you played ball against me," he said, wearing that famous Scott smirk.
"Easy," Lucas said. The two brothers watched Matthew and Olivia from a short distance, as they began a game of catch with Mattie's baseball. Lucas eyed his brother and swallowed. "Look, Nate, I just wanted to say thank you for everything...for looking after Peyton and Ella..."
"Don't worry about it," Nathan cut him off, shoving his hands in his jeans pockets.
"No...really. I...I lost my mind," Lucas said. "And you had every right to be pissed at me. And disappointed...I..."
"You're back now," Nathan said, looking his older brother in the eye. "You're back and you're trying to make it right. And while I may not agree with what you did...who am I to deny you a second chance? Especially after everything with my accident..." Nathan looked down at the sidewalk as he shamefully remembered the dark hole he'd fallen into when Jamie was four.
"Damn. Seems like forever ago."
"Feels like yesterday."
-x-x-x-EGS-x-x-x-
As Aunt Haley drove me up to my house, my eyebrows tilted upwards. "Is that..."
"Your dad and your uncle?" Aunt Haley finished. "And my kids?" Aunt Haley parked the car by the sidewalk, cut the ignition and got out of the driver's side.
"MAMA!" Olivia squealed, running to hug her mother's legs, and Aunt Haley swooped her up and hugged her tightly.
"My baby!" Aunt Haley exclaimed, kissing Olivia's adorable cheeks. When Matthew passed her, Aunt Haley ruffled his brown locks. "Excuse me! My other baby, you're supposed to be home resting!"
Matthew shrugged, bringing his arms over his head. "We were helping Uncle Luke!"
"Mhm. And how is Uncle Luke?" Aunt Haley kinked her brows in my father's direction, surveying him from head to toe.
"Uncle Luke made it to the corner," Dad said.
"And didn't pass out," Uncle Nathan added. "Hi sweetheart," he said, moving to kiss my cheek.
"Hi," I answered, hugging him tightly, breathing in his cologne. I turned to Aunt Haley when Uncle Nate and Dad were pulled into conversation. "I can't believe they're hanging out together."
"I know, I keep thinking I'm hallucinating," Aunt Haley answered, and we laughed.
"We heard that," Uncle Nathan said, smiling in our direction. "I figured...us hanging out is long overdue."
A car horn tore our attention to Jamie's navy blue Honda Passport as he pulled into our driveway. "JAMIE!" Matthew exclaimed, running to his brother's car.
Jamie hopped out of the driver's side and enveloped his younger brother in a hug. "Hey, buddy! What's going on?"
"We're all here helping Uncle Luke with his exercise regimen. He made it to the corner!"
"I see that," Jamie said. "Hey Ma."
"Hi honey," Aunt Haley answered, kissing her son on his temple. "Where's your other half?"
"Andre's..." Jamie eyed my glance and hurriedly said, "Been busy lately."
"I love how you answered that," I said, laughing.
"Shut up, Fruitcake," Jamie said, nudging me gently on the shoulder.
"Busy with what?" Aunt Haley probed. "A girl?" She watched Jamie and me carefully. "What aren't you telling me!"
I quickly walked the few steps to my father, who looked thrilled to see me. "Hey!" He took a few deep breaths and I offered him my water bottle, which he drained in a couple of seconds. "How was school, pumpkin pie?"
"It was good," I answered, and slowly Dad and I began walking, our family's chatter becoming background noise. "Feeling OK?"
"Like a grandpa," Dad said, and I laughed. "Your uncle Nathan seems to think that's my normal persona."
"Yeah well I'm a cripple so I can't exactly comment."
"Hey," Dad said, furrowing his brows as he watched me. "I thought you hated that word? And you're not a cripple. You have CP. There's a huge difference."
"Yeah."
"Ella, sweetheart I'm serious. I don't want to hear you ever talk like that."
"...OK," I said, my voice breaking with the weight of my words.
Dad stopped walking, putting his hand on my arm. "Something bothering you, baby?"
I took a deep breath and said, "Remember Katie Nowell?"
"Of course. Your best friend," Dad said fondly, shoving his hands in his sweat pockets.
"I don't know how much of my best friend she is these days."
"What do you mean?"
On our walk, I proceeded to tell my father all about Katie's strange behavior, everything except my encounter with Katie at the party at The Ridge. "And now...now she wants to talk to me. And...I'll be there... but I'm nervous. Nervous of...of what I'll hear. I want to be able to help her. But what if I can't?"
"Well...we can always be of help in some way. Help her in any way that you can. Even if it's small...it might mean the world to her. Having your mom just sit with me and listen meant the world to me." Dad shrugged. "Ella...if she needs you...you need to be there for her."
"I know," I said. "I know." I stopped walking and smiled. "Dad."
"What?"
"We walked around the block."
-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-
Lucas was browsing the television channels when he heard the front door open. He lowered the volume, his heart beginning to race when he heard Peyton's heels against the wood floor. "Luke?"
"In here!" He turned in the recliner to see his wife, and he smiled, resting his crossword puzzle on the little table with his glass of water. "Hey you."
"Hi," she said, in that special tone she used only with him. She reached to remove her heels, crawling into the recliner beside her husband, curling against his warm body. "We have to get you out of this recliner, babe."
Lucas brought his arms around his wife, and she hummed in contentment. "Well a certain someone came over and took a walk with me today."
When Peyton raised her brows, Lucas simply said, "Nathan."
"No."
"Yeah. And Matthew and Olivia. Ella and Jamie came too."
"Wow. You had the whole family rooting for you practically."
"If you were there, I probably would've ran a marathon," Lucas said, and Peyton laughed.
Lucas told her all about how Nathan, Matthew, and Olivia got him walking, and then they met up with Haley and Ella coming home from school, and Jamie coming home from work. "And then Nate and Hales and the kids came in for some ice cream, and we just hung out for a while. It was nice."
"I'm glad you had a good day," Peyton said gently, running her hands through Lucas' hair. "I need to change and start dinner," she breathed, leaning against Luke's chest.
"Sure, just...hold on a sec and sit with me," he said, breathing her in. He moved so her legs were covering his. "Relax." He rubbed her back, and she hummed to his touch. "I should make my girls dinner. And Jamie," he added hastily, and Peyton laughed. "What do you feel like having?"
"Honey, I appreciate the gesture. But you had a lot of exercise today. I don't want you overexerting yourself."
"It's just dinner," Lucas mumbled.
Peyton rolled her eyes, sighing in mock exasperation. She leaned in to nibble on Luke's earlobe. "Fine. You can help me, how's that? I was going to make pork chops."
"Oooh, I love pork chops," Lucas said, lightly tickling his wife. "And I love that you're not making me eat twigs and grass."
"You mean salad? You bet your ass you're having salad."
"Damn it." Lucas hung his head back. "So close."
-x-x-x-EGS-x-x-x-
As Mom called Jamie and I to come down for dinner, I ran into him by the stairs. "It's kinda weird," I said, hearing my parents laugh as they cooked together.
"What is?" Jamie asked.
"My parents being all...happy again."
Jamie looked at me. "Yo, Ella. That's really sad."
"Shit," I said. "I know it is."
"But they're happy again," Jamie said, putting a hand on my shoulder. "That's what matters, right?"
"Right." I took my cousin's hand and we made our way downstairs together.
-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-
For the first time, all four of them had a nice dinner. Simple, understated, lighthearted. Complete. After desert, Jamie retreated to a book in his room and Ella returned to her homework. Lucas was left to wash the dishes, rinsing them before putting them in the dishwasher. He turned when Peyton ran a hand up his back.
"Hey," she said. "You were kinda quiet at dinner."
"Yeah," Lucas said, before closing the dishwasher. He motioned for Peyton to follow him and he sat against the lower kitchen cabinets, and she did the same. "Did you really mean it when you said you'd go with me to see Charna?"
"Yes," Peyton answered after only a second. "...Of course I'll go with you."
Lucas nodded, and they were drowning in the light from the moon shining through the window. "I just wanted to tell you..." Lucas sighed, and Peyton grabbed his hand. "That when Ryan died...I felt ashamed. And I felt undeserving of you. And I guess...I guess after Ella fell right here," Lucas pointed to the kitchen floor beneath them. "I was looking for an easy way out. And I found it. But I wish I never did. I wish I never left, and I wish I fought through it with you."
"Luke..." Peyton sighed. "You're fighting it with me now, right?"
Lucas nodded. "Yeah. Yeah I guess I am."
"You are," Peyton said, holding his hand. She watched him for a second and whispered, "Remember after Ella's first surgery, that night we had my surprise party?"
"Yeah..."
"You asked me to fight it with you. Ella's cerebral palsy...everything. You asked me to fight it with you and I said yes." Peyton kissed Lucas' right hand. "Now I am asking the same of you. Fight this with me, Luke," Peyton asked, her voice breaking with tears. "Fight this with me and tell me we're gonna go back to how we were..."
"Hey, hey," Lucas pleaded. "You know I'll fight this with you, Peyt. And I know you wanna be back to how we were, but...I don't think we can go back. Not knowing what we know now. But we can go forward. And we can be better, baby...stronger." Lucas kissed his wife's forehead, her nose, her cheek, her lips. "I promise you."
Peyton nodded. "I just need you on my side again."
"I'm here," Lucas said. "Promise, Peyt." He brushed hair away from her face. "You look tired, babe...you wanna wind down, maybe watch a movie?"
Peyton nodded, and they walked hand in hand to the couch where they curled up and watched What If?together. They laughed at all the right moments, and Lucas felt Peyton moving closer and closer to him as the movie wore on. By the time the credits rolled on the screen, Peyton was lying entirely in his arms, against his chest, and had fallen asleep.
"Peyt..." Lucas said, rubbing her shoulder. "Baby...wake up."
"Hmm?" Peyton asked, blinking her eyes awake. "The movie's over?"
"It's over," Lucas confirmed, watching his wife bemusedly.
"I think I need to go to bed," Peyton said, her cheeks pink under her husband's gaze. "Goodnight," she said, watching her husband only for a second before getting up from the couch.
"Night," Lucas hesitated, his mind spinning. He watched her retreat from him, and with every step his heart ached. As she waltzed up the stairs, he urged his body to go after her, but he remained still. He didn't know why he thought she'd let him into the room with her. Didn't know why he thought they could sleep beside one another. "Stupid," Lucas said, shaking his head. In defeat, he made his way to the guest room. He had no idea that his wife was watching his every move.
-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-
No matter what happens with your parents, I'm always here for you Lion. Infinite x's and o's, your gummy bear.
Adrian smiled a soft smile as he looked over Ella's text message. He ran his thumb over her words, and wished more than anything she was beside him in that moment. The breeze was gentle and light, as he sat in the rocking chair on the front porch of his parent's house. Not a second later did the front door open, and his parents appeared on the other side.
"Adrian," Jesse said, his tone gentle as he sat across from his son. Rebecca took the other seat, next to Jesse. Jesse watched his son for a moment or two, just trying to hold onto what it felt like...all of them, together. "You must know that your mom and I...we've been doing a lot of talking."
Adrian swallowed. His mother, who he could usually read like an open book, wasn't responsive. Her lips were drawn tightly and her eyes were cold and burdened.
"...Yeah..."
Jesse nodded, holding his hands together. "Well...now there's something we want to talk to you about."
-x-x-x-EGS-x-x-x-
I knocked twice on Katie's front door before deciding to use my key. I let myself through the front door and the set of doors leading to the living room. The only light came from the kitchen, and I walked carefully through the seemingly empty house, abandoning my crutches by the door. "Hello? Katie? Anyone home?"
No answer. I made it to the kitchen, and came to the conclusion that nobody was home. Katie flaked out on me yet again. When I turned around, where there was the half-bath, it was only because I heard the sink water running.
I didn't expect to see my best friend unconscious on the bathroom floor.
-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-
REVIEW, REVIEW!
Next chapter, Peyton and Lucas continue to work on their marriage with the help and council of Charna. Katie and Ella's friendship continues to fray. Adrian comes to terms with news from his parents. We also see more of Lily and Andre and their budding relationship. Lucas continues to heal after his heart attack, and Peyton reconnects with Chris.
