AUTHOR'S NOTE: Hi everyone! This is sort of a filler chapter so sorry for those of you expecting a chance to find out what happens with the cliffhanger. This is a necessary chapter for so many reasons... and one that I felt I had to include. Thanks for reading and please review!
"Peyton?"
The blonde's eyes flutter open at the sound of her name being called nearby. The light momentarily blinds her and she quickly recoils, pinching her eyes shut and reaching up with her hands to block out the offending sun. Eventually, she carefully peels each eye open one at a time, taking in her surroundings.
She notices the brightness of the day outside shining into her room through the slightly open window. The curtains are blowing casually in the breeze and Peyton can't help but smile at the sight.
"You awake?" the same voice asks catching Peyton's attention and causing her to sit up smiling, eyes fixed on the woman in front of her.
"How long was I out?" Peyton asks.
"Not too long," the voice replies, coming further into the room and settling beside her. Anna Sawyer reaches out and brushes a curl out of her daughter's eyes, smiling the entire time.
"Better hurry up... Brooke's going to be here before you know it."
Peyton does as her mother asks, standing up and moving toward her closet. Her eyes stop on the sight of the letters carved into the center of the dark door causing her smile to increase to twice its size. The blonde runs her fingers over the letters feeling a chill run down her spine as she does.
"I don't remember doing this," Peyton says, her eyes still not moving from the door. Finally she turns to her mother, her smile fading. "Did I do this?"
"Peyton," Anna says standing from the bed and moving toward her. She carefully places her hands on the blonde's shoulders and squeezes. "Does it really matter? All that matters is that its the truth, right?"
"I guess you're right," Peyton replies, turning her head to glance at the letters again before looking back to her mother. "I feel funny... like I'm forgetting something... or I'm supposed to be somewhere else right now," Peyton says.
"You are," Anna replies easily and casually as if there is nothing to worry about. "Now come on and get dressed. We'll talk over breakfast before Brooke arrives."
Peyton does as shes told, allowing Anna to leave the room and watching her go. Peyton turns back to the clothes hanging in her closet and runs her fingers over several of the shirts lining the racks. She eventually decides on an outfit, pulling it on over her body before flicking off the light and leaving the same way she had watched her mother do earlier.
As she makes her way down the stairs, her eyes study the pictures along the wall. Pictures of her and Brooke in varying ages throughout their lives. As young children, as teenagers and eventually as young adults as she was now. In every picture the girls are holding their arms around each other tightly, smiling widely as if they had a secret that no one else knew.
Other pictures stood out in between the ones of her and Brooke. One picture of Peyton, Brooke, Haley, Nathan and Jamie as a young baby in particular made Peyton smile. She could remember that day... the day James Lucas Scott was born. It felt like forever ago and yet it felt like it had just happened at the same time.
Peyton makes her way down the stairs stopping when she hears a strong male voice.
"Is she here?"
"Yes... she's here. But I'm not so sure it's a good idea for you to talk to her before I've had a chance to explain," Anna's voice replies keeping Peyton from moving by the staircase. "She's already slightly confused."
"Anna, you and I both know that it is important she understand... everything depends on it."
"I know," Anna interrupts, not allowing the male to continue. "I will talk with her over breakfast. Perhaps you would like to stay?"
"No," the male replies calmly letting out a sigh at the same time. Peyton works up the courage to move toward the kitchen and attempt to catch a glimpse of the owner of the voice that is clearly not her father. "Just let me know once you've talked to her."
"Alright," Anna says as he exits the house, just in time for Peyton to see his dark hair behind the partially closed door. Her presence is known now and Anna calls out to her. "There you are."
"Mom," Peyton says moving into the kitchen with small steps, slightly alarmed but not knowing why. "Is something wrong?"
"Sit down sweetheart," Anna replies pulling out a chair that she's placed a plate of breakfast in front of. "Would you like some juice?"
"Uh... I guess," Peyton says doing as she's told and settling down at the table. Anna pours her the juice and Peyton studies her as she makes every single movement. "Mom..."
"Yes?"
"Am I supposed to be here?" Peyton asks suddenly feeling like she doesn't belong. "I mean... I know this is our house and that you are my mom... but I feel like this isn't where I'm supposed to be."
"That's something I would like to talk with you about," Anna says taking her own seat across the table from Peyton and latching her hands with Peyton's in front of her. "Do you remember what happened?"
Peyton frowns as a quick flash shoots through her mind upon Anna's touch... a single vision of a grave site. Peyton pulls her hands away, standing, her chair screeching across the ground as it moves with force and her eyes go wide.
"You... you died... I remember... you died when I was just a kid..." Peyton says stepping away from the table a little freaked out. But Anna also stands, making her way around the table and carefully grasping Peyton's hands with her own. Suddenly a variety of memories come crashing into her head. Memories of crying at her mother's grave with Brooke sitting next to her. Memories of her high school days with Lucas and Brooke and the love triangle. Memories of L.A. and returning to Tree Hill only to find the love of her life with Brooke. Memories of holding the pregnancy test in her hands and telling Julian he would be a father. Memories of taking care of Brooke after her attack and memories of Rivers holding a gun to her head in her recording studio.
"It's alright Peyton," Anna says as the memories begin to fade and Peyton is brought back to the present time again. Anna smiles and finally releases Peyton's hands. "Now do you remember?"
"I... I was attacked... I was... I have to find Brooke," Peyton says forgetting everything else and trying to move toward the door.
Anna stops her suddenly turning Peyton around to face her again.
"Brooke isn't here sweetheart," Anna replies calmly as if she knows more than she's saying. Peyton begins to realize just how strange it is standing in front of her mother who has been dead for years and Anna must sense the fear in her child's eyes.
"Am I... am I dead? Is that why I'm here... with you... because... because I died?" Peyton asks trying to calm herself before hearing the answer. A part of her doesn't want to leave her mother... the other part of her wants nothing more than to get back to Brooke.
"That's up to you really," Anna replies once again with a smile. "Come on," she says motioning to the table where breakfast is still sitting. "Let's eat and we can talk this out."
The two women make their way back to the table where Peyton carefully sits down. Her head is reeling with all the information that she's learned in just the past few minutes and she has a thousand questions she wants to ask.
"Don't be afraid," Anna says almost as if reading Peyton's mind. "Ask away."
"Okay," Peyton starts, resting her hands on the table. "What is this place?"
"This... this is our home," Anna says glancing around the room. Peyton does the same. Everything looks to be in its exact place... the same way it was throughout the years that Peyton lived there... throughout her childhood and into adulthood before she moved to LA. It is in fact their home.
"I know that... I mean... I mean... how are you here?"
"Peyton," Anna says shifting in her chair and taking a breath before continuing. "I needed to see you... I think you needed to see me."
"Do I... will I stay here... if I die I mean? Do I get to stay here with you?"
"My dear, we will always be together... in life and in death," Anna replies smiling once again at her child. "But now is not the time for you to stay. I think we both know that."
"What if I don't want to leave?" Peyton asks surprising even herself with the question. The image of Brooke's face, crying and devastated fills her mind as the words tumble out but Peyton pushes it away, suddenly enamored with her mother who she hasn't seen in many years.
"I will never make you leave Peyton... but I will ask you to do what will truly make you happy."
"What if I don't know what that is?" Peyton asks.
"Oh, but you do," Anna says with years worth of wisdom that Peyton can only hope to one day have. "Do you love her?"
"Who?" Peyton asks before suddenly remembering. "Brooke?"
"You don't have to answer... I already know," Anna says winking in her daughter's direction before standing and making her way over to the refrigerator. She pulls out the orange juice and pours herself a glass. "I have to say... it's about time."
"You... you know? I mean... you know about me... and Brooke?"
"Of course I do!" Anna says turning to face Peyton momentarily before looking back to her glass. "I must say... it certainly took the two of you long enough to figure everything out."
"Yeah, I guess it did," Peyton says smiling to herself as Anna returns to the table. "I do. Love her I mean... I really do love her."
"You always have," Anna says back after taking a sip of her juice.
Peyton's hands find their way to her stomach, remembering suddenly the small life growing inside of her. Her fears of being a mother... becoming a mother when she never had one of her own start to find their way to the surface and her eyes grow tears.
"I don't know if I can do this alone," Peyton says trying to hold them back.
"But you aren't alone... you have Brooke and Julian... and Haley and Nathan... Peyton, you have so many people by your side... you and I both know that."
"But I don't have you," Peyton answers.
"Oh Peyton... I am always with you... whether you see me or not... you know that," Anna says smiling and reaching forward to wipe away a stray tear that makes its way out of Peyton's eyes.
"It's not fair," Peyton says letting the tears fall now. "I've lost so much... we've all suffered so much. I don't know that I can do it anymore... I don't know that I can..."
"That's not the girl I know," a voice interrupts Peyton's comments causing both women to turn to find the owner of the voice. Peyton's eyes widen before turning warm again, seeing Ellie standing in the doorway. The blonde jumps up, running to her biological mother and embracing her in a hug.
"Heard you were visiting... couldn't let you leave before saying hello," Ellie says into the hug.
"I miss you," Peyton whispers into Ellie's ear holding her tightly.
"What for?" Ellie asks pulling back out of the hug. She glances at Anna and smiles warmly, causing Peyton to look between the two women. For a moment it feels strange to have both of her mom's in the same room and suddenly she feels a peace inside of her. "Like Anna said... I'm always with you."
"I know that," Peyton says standing between the kitchen table where her mom sits and the doorway where Ellie stands. "But that doesn't make it hurt any less."
"You're right," Ellie says nodding. "But you're strong Peyton. You always have been."
"Not strong enough," the youngest woman replies.
"Nonsense!" Anna chimes in from the table. "Peyton... you've endured more than most people do in a lifetime... and you are better because of it," Anna finishes finally coming to Peyton's side. Anna grabs one of her hands and Ellie grabs the other.
"Besides," Ellie says squeezing Peyton's hand. "This isn't just about you anymore."
"What if I can't do it?" Peyton asks knowing that they are talking about the baby. "What if I'm not a good mom?"
"You are going to be a great mom," a voice calls out from the doorway, causing Peyton's head to whip around to meet the face of its owner. She quickly rushes toward him.
"Keith?" Peyton says shocked. She quickly goes running to him, pulling him into a hug. "What are you doing here?"
"I should be asking you that question," Keith says pulling out of the hug. "It's great to see you Peyton... but now it's time to get you back to where you belong."
"It's already time?" Anna asks standing next to Ellie where Peyton had just moved from.
"Yes," Keith explains glancing at both the women. "I'm sorry... but I must take her..."
"But wait," Peyton says turning back to Anna and Ellie who are watching. "What if I'm not ready to leave?"
"Peyton," Keith says putting a hand on her shoulder. "No one is ever ready for the life changing moments... but that doesn't mean that we don't have to face them head on," he explains.
"But..." she starts.
"You and I both know that there are so many things you have left to do," Keith says taking Peyton's attention again. "They need you Peyton. Haley and Nathan and Jamie. Brooke and Julian. The baby... even Lucas... they all need you."
"Lucas..." Peyton says in a whisper, remembering the final moments before she woke up here. "Is he..." she glances around, half expecting him to show up in the doorway.
"He's fine," Keith says smiling. He then turns his eyes to Anna before looking back to Peyton. "They are all waiting for you."
Peyton turns then to face her moms... tears already falling out of her eyes because she knows as much as she loves them... as much as she's thrilled to be standing with both of them again... that she has to go.
"Ellie..." Peyton says moving toward her birth mother and quickly pulling her into a hug. "I never got to say goodbye the last time."
"We don't need goodbye Peyton," Ellie answers while holding her child close. "We just need see you later."
The hug ends and Ellie steps back, giving Anna a chance to move forward and pull the young blonde to her.
"Mom..."
"Be great Peyton... be the woman I always knew you would be," Anna says before Peyton can say anything else. The hug ends and Anna quickly stops her tears, smiling and causing Peyton to do the same. "Tell Brooke that I love her... and that I'm counting on her to take care of you."
"I will," Peyton says releasing Anna's hand and moving toward Keith once more. She takes one last look at her mom's smiling as they stand hand in hand watching their child.
"You ready?" Keith asks.
"No... but I can feel it..." Peyton starts. "It's time."
"Yes... it is," Keith says smiling at the blonde in front of him. The woman he credited for getting Lucas through some of his darkest times. "It was great to see you Peyton."
"You too," the blonde replies forgetting everything and allowing her mind to clear just as Keith reaches forward and places his fingers on her forehead.
"Give everyone my love," she hears him say before her whole body erupts in pain and everything once again goes black.