CHAPTER SIX
"Oh the quiet child awaits the day when she can break free,
The mould that clings like desperation,
And I believe,
This is heaven.
To no one else but me."
Elsewhere- Bethany Joy Lenz/ Sarah McLachlan
'For good. For good?' Peyton asked quietly. Her voice as delicate as her current emotions.
Jake nodded pressed his lips to her cheek. Peyton pulled back and kissed him fully.
72 Hours Later………Karen Roe watched Nathan and Haley walk into the café. She greeted them and asked for their order.
'Macaroni and cheese for two.' Nathan said wrapping an arm around his wife gently.
'Make that for four, please mom.' Lucas sank into seats opposite his brother and best friend. Brooke nodded and gave a cheery grin.
'Looks like paradise is back on track!' she said gleefully.
'You mean you two?' Haley asked glancing from one to the other. Lucas kissed Brooke on the cheek and smiled at his friend.
'Yeah. Jake and Peyton to!' the Scots stared at her. 'Didn't you know? he flew in today. Think he's back for good.'
'So they're together?' Nathan questioned.
'Well they haven't left Pey's house in awhile. Apart to collect Jenny and Jake had a quick chat with Luke.'
'Really!'
Nikki jumped off of the plane and headed for a taxi. There was no reason in messing around. She reached the Sawyer girl's house first and saw them playing on the front lawn.
'Do you HAVE to play with my daughter?' she said leaning against the gate.
Peyton felt her heart stop. What was she doing here! She couldn't take away her happiness. not now. Not after she'd waited so long to be with Jake and Jenny… it was as if there was a hole in her stomach and was sucking out her insides…
She looked up face pale, she met Jake's eyes. And felt the hole widen. He was grinning.
'Jake?' voice barely above a whisper…
'Go home Nikki.' Jake said picking his daughter up. Peyton's heart stopped draining away slightly. But she was still confused.
'Not without my daughter.'
'You can't have her Nikki. Not legally, not now and not ever.' There was a certainty to Jake's voice Nikki hadn't heard before. The tight family unit struck her, Peyton and Jenny made, Jake stood with Jenny on his hip. Peyton placed an arm around his waist and leaned her forehead against Jenny's.
'What are you talking about Jake?' Nikki felt a slight panic rise up her throat. She really needed a drink.
'Vodka or Barcardi?' Jake asked sliding an arm around Peyton's neck.
'What?'
'Which is it you want today, Nikki? You see Luke let me in on a little secret.'
'Lucas? Lucas Scot?'
'Yeah. You see he's willing to testify about your drunken behaviour when you two met. So is the school Nikki. No judge is gonna give a baby to an alcoholic.'
'I've changed. Jake please…'
'You can't change your mould. I know you can eventually but at the moment you're desperate. I'm sorry.
Nikki froze. There was nothing left to do so she turned and got back into the cab. Clear from the house she burst into tears.
'Peyton!' Brooke called from the truck's open window. Peyton glanced out of the window Jake and Jenny were asleep in the bed behind her.
'Brooke?'
'Come on! We're going on a picnic!' Brooke was unusually hyper even for her happily reunited state with Lucas. Who peered around his girlfriend and grinned.
'We're picking Hales and Nate up ten minutes!' the blonde Scot brother told her. Jake stood up behind Peyton.
'Better get ready huh?' she nodded.
Later that day they were sat eating and Peyton felt an overwhelming happiness. She sighed and leaned back against a tree trunk the others were playing catch with one of Jenny's balls. Lucas looked over.
'Alright?'
'Great. You?'
'Same. Strange though isn't it?' Lucas asked Peyton smiling as he watched her. He hadn't seen her this happy before. It was as if everything had just clicked into place.
'What is?'
'That something so simple as messing about in the sun is kinda heaven.'
'Heaven for no one else.' Peyton responded and hugged him.
'HEY get your own boyfriend!' Brooke stumbled over. Jenny in her arms. Nathan and Haley followed holding hands. And Jake kissed Peyton's neck as he sat beside her.
Lucas- 'Charles Dickens wrote in Nicholas Nickleby "When I speak of home, I speak of the place where in default of a better those I love are gathered together." I thought that I needed to change who I was to be good enough for the people at my home. But the reason they were home was because I already good enough for them. Now I look at them and I know this is heaven.'
THE END
