Lost in the Past

Chapter 25

A/N - Well, as you all know the story can't go on forever and there's only so many chapters left. So, in other words...review now!! Lol, I love reviews and it makes me feel like you're really appreciating my story so review for me so we can go out with a band when the story has to end. When it does, check out the story called The Saddest Song that I have out. Here's the 25th:

Peyton could not pull her jaw from the floor. Brooke was trying to calm Haley as she began to relive it. The guys kept the kids occupied so they didn't know what happened to sweet, innocent little Haley. Lucas had known and at the end of every day he would sit and try to figure a way to get Haley away from that man. Brooke and Haley were never really as close as everyone else. And Nathan had gone through hell after he saw how she was being treated. But this was coming as a complete shock to Peyton.

They had become unbelievably close during the last few years she had been there. Being as they were basically sister-in-laws and that the boys got along so well, they were together at most times of the day. It had almost forced them to form a sister like bond, and sisters are believed to have one of the strongest bonds of any siblings. So, hearing Haley was abused was like Peyton's heard being stomped on by soccer cleats.

"Peyton," Haley said gently. She had no idea that it would hit Peyton like this.

"He what?" she asked, as though she were dreaming.

"He hit me, and I didn't stop him. It was my fault..." Haley said as her eyes darkened.

"No!" Peyton yelled adamantly, "this is not your fault! You couldn't remember and you didn't know. That will never, ever be your fault."

"I did nothing to stop him," Haley stated, sadly.

"Even, if you tried you could not have stopped him. He was too big," Peyton said as she grabbed Haley's wrists and made direct eye contact with her. "It doesn't matter now. You're here...home."

Haley bit her lip to stop the tears but her emotions were always betraying her these days. She cursed at herself as her eyes glazed over. Peyton pulled her into another hug and held her there.

"Don't you hold back. You don't always have to be so strong, Hales. It's ok for someone to hold you once in a while instead of you doing it for everyone else...you deserve it," Peyton whispered soothingly as she rubbed small circles along Haley's back.

Brooke watched the scene in front of her and suddenly began to feel the separation. She was feeling left out, but happy that they each found someone to connect with while they could. She went and sat with the boys while the girls shared their bonding moment.


Moments later, the tears were wiped away and make-up was fixed. Haley and Peyton were laughing over stupid things from way back when. It was around this time that Lucas interrupted, reminding Peyton of their previous mission. He walked over to Peyton and snaked his arms around her waist while sneaking a kiss as she leaned her head back into his shoulder. Haley couldn't help but smile at the scene. They were finally back to the way she knew they would be.

"Wanna do it here, or take them out or something?" Lucas asked, awaiting her response.

"Let's just take them to the basement and we'll talk there," she said as she reluctantly let his hand fall from hers and she grabbed Liz while he grabbed Nate.

"We'll be back," Lucas said to the group in the living room. They nodded as smiles formed on all of their faces. It was good to have everyone back together just like in high school.

"What do you think?" Nathan asked the surrounding people.

"I think it's great that they're back together!" Brooke said happily. She couldn't stand to see any of her friends miserable, especially Peyton.

"Me too. It's been forever," Jake said calmly.

"I'm just glad to see everyone, but it's an added bonus to be able to come back and see everyone happy," Haley added.

Her words left everyone musing in their thoughts. This really was the first time they were all really happy at the same time. It was like a monumental moment in their lives.


Lucas sat on the couch in Jake's basement. Peyton sat right next to him and the kids were sitting on the chairs across from him. Peyton couldn't keep her eyes from Luke's and the kids were looking at them strangely.

"So, what's goin on?" Nate asked his parents who were googly eyed towards each other.

"You wanna start?" Lucas asked the curly blonde haired girl on his right. She nodded her head, yes, and she looked over to the two blondes.

"Uh, well your father and I have something to tell you. We're kinda hoping you'll like it," Peyton said as the grin came out. She couldn't keep a smile off of her face for the life of her.

"Yea, about two years ago we went out to dinner and were talking over how we wanted to get along for you two. So, we kinda..." he said as a grin spread over his face and felt a swift smack on his arm.

"Luke," Peyton growled in his ear. He laughed at her and changed his words around.

"We kinda didn't get along very well, but recently we've been talking and trying to make things work and so far we've been doing pretty good. And a few nights ago we were talking after I dropped you guys off and we decided to try this whole thing again," he said as a smile graced both of their faces.

"Try what?" Nathan asked obviously confused with his dad's explanation.

"To make it a little simpler...me and your dad are gonna try being together again. If you don't mind," she said as she watched his eyes light up. His mouth turned to a huge smile from ear to ear. It was at that moment that he looked exactly like Lucas.

"Really?!" he screamed as he watched his parents grab each other's hands.

"Really," Lucas replied, watching Nate's expression.

He immediately ran to the two of them and jumped into their arms. He was smiling and more than excited to have his parents back together, and to have his father at home with them. There was nothing more he could've wished for.

Mean while, Liz was sitting on the couch smiling because her brother had done so. She was born without her father living at home so she had no idea what it was like to have him living at home. She didn't know what it was like to have that kind of family.

"What's wrong babe?" Peyton asked, getting up and walking over to her daughter.

"We're gonna live with daddy?" she asked.

"Yea, would you like that?" Peyton asked still not getting the picture.

"What's it like?"

"What?" the 24 year old asked the 4 year old.

"To live with daddy?" she reiterated her question.

Peyton took a few minutes to understand her daughter. And then it hit that she had never lived with Lucas when he was home with them. She suddenly felt like she had deprived her daughter of having a family that was close and loving, when that's all she wanted for her kids.

"It's just like living at home, but daddy's there with us," she explained while watching her daughter's face.

"So, you're not gonna cry so much or be so lonely," she asked her mother intelligently.

"No. Not anymore, baby."


The 2 other couples had been standing at the edge of the stairs, being the eavesdroppers they were. Each had a sad smile on their faces. They heard the little girl's questions and realized just how hard it was for Peyton to kick Lucas out of her heart.

Haley looked over to Nathan and smiled at him. He smiled back to her and planted a kiss on her lips. She responded before pulling away and looking into his eyes.

"That was sad," Brooke said as she walked back to the couches in the living room.

"Yea, big time," Nathan responded as he followed suit with the rest of them.

Lucas, Peyton, Nate, and Liz all appeared at the top of the steps. Nate and Liz ran back to the other kids while Lucas and Peyton looked at the group.

"You were listening," Peyton said as she stared at the two girls.

"Maybe," they replied as they smiled towards the two of them.

"Losers."

Brooke, Haley, and Peyton all sat together on one side of the room. Girl talk filled the air as the 3 boys sat and talked about the ranking in basketball.

"So, you've gotta fill us in," Brooke stated happily while Peyton listened.

"On?" Haley asked playing the dumb card.

"You and Nathan."

"Oh, that..." Haley retold the whole story to the two girls in front of her.

I HOPE YOU ENJOYED SEEING THEM TELLING THE KIDS. I KNOW IT WASN'T THAT GREAT BUT I DID THE BEST I COULD WITH IT AND REVIEW FOR ME!! Will update soon!!

NEXT - Some fun with all the couples and the kids / and some surprises for the couples (maybe drama too, but I haven't decided what I wanted to do yet)