Author's Note/Disclaimer: This story is dedicated to Kay, who helped me with some aspects of the chapter. Thanks a bundle hun! Again, none of this belongs to me, otherwise we'd get to see Leyton make out every week. Sigh
All I Want For Christmas
It had been years since they had all been in Tree Hill together, but this year Haley James-Scott had insisted that they all make the trip and spend Christmas together, the whole gang. After all, it seemed that if they weren't spending it together, they would be spending it alone this year.
Lucas had quickly agreed to join his best friend and brother in their home in Tree Hill. After all, his mother was out of town this year. Travelling the world again, like she had been since he went off to college. It was time for her to start a life away from this place, and she was right too.
As far as he could remember, he hadn't seen any of his friends in almost seven years, not since they had all graduated and left for their own little corners of the world. They'd tried to keep in touch, but being so far apart made it hard on all of them. The only ones who he had managed to see often was Haley and Nathan, but it as hard to avoid family. Especially when that family is playing for a rival school.
Gently, he knocked on the door to the home that Haley and Nathan currently shared and was shocked when the door swung open and his blue eyes met a pair of intense light brown ones. Frozen in place, his eyes couldn't help but glaze over her womanly body that hadn't seemed to have changed at all in the past seven years.
"Lucas Scott," she drawled, a small smirk appearing on her face, "Well, it doesn't seemed anything has changed since the last time I saw you."
"Peyton Sawyer," he grinned as he met her eyes once again, "You look hot."
"Why thank you," stepping aside, she allowed him to enter the house. Once again, Lucas peeked at her from the corner of his eyes.
She looked stunning as ever wearing a simple green T-shirt, blonde hair flowing over her shoulders once again. The jeans she had on hugged her body in all the right places and he couldn't help but linger once again over the contours of her body. Even after all these years, Peyton Sawyer could still do things to him that no other girl could ever manage to. He felt emotions stirring within him that had long been dormant.
Peyton caught him staring at her and laughed lightly, punching his arm. The two caught eyes once again and Lucas himself find himself let out a chuckle before hugging her 'hello'. Even after all these years, he knew that their connection was still there. It would never go away, just like those feelings he only felt when he was around her. They were something permanent. Something that he kept trying to ignore. Something that he had been hiding from for years.
"So, you're here early," he mentioned, "Hales said that it was just going to be me, her and Nate until tomorrow."
"Yeah, well, I came home early to visit my dad," Peyton shrugged, "They invited me over for supper tonight, so I guess you're stuck with me Scott."
"You have to tell me what you've been up to these past seven years," he warned, "I saw some of your pictures in a magazine the other day, it's really awesome."
"Thanks, but my life's not that interesting," glancing over her shoulder to where Haley is shuffling around in the kitchen.
"We'll see," he promised, before slipping into the room to say hello to Haley and Nathan. His head whirred with the whole encounter, and he wondered what the rest of his stay here would be like, especially when Brooke showed up. The two of them hadn't been on the best terms since they'd last broken up, but they could still manage to be civil to each other when they had to. At least, he hoped they could be.
More than one unexpected dinner guest joined them that night. Just as Lucas was helping set the table, the doorbell rang and Peyton had once again answered it, it seemed that this was her designated job for the evening. Lucas had once again been floored by the arrival of this new guest. The person he had dreaded seeing the most on this trip.
Brooke Davis looked good, he had to admit, and though they hadn't spoken in seven years, she still seemed to know a lot about him. She smiled and asked how things were with his life, his job, and his last girlfriend. Lucas had answered everything promptly, and before he could even ask her anything, a tall shadow appeared behind her.
"Jake!" Peyton's jaw dropped open as a weary looking Jake stood behind Brooke holding the hand of an eight year old Jenny. She was beautiful with her father's dark hair and eyes, and everyone just stared a minute or two.
Lucas felt his heart drop in that moment though because suddenly, things seem to resemble their junior year a little too much. Any hope that perhaps he could change things, could maybe admit to Peyton that he'd been running for years from her. Any chance of getting to know the woman she was now seemed to fade with the reappearance of Jake.
"Well, guess I have to get more plates," Haley put in pleasantly, grabbing Nathan and dragging him back into the kitchen to help her out some more.
After dinner, Lucas found himself offering to help clean dishes with Brooke, of all people. Of course, he didn't mean for it to end up being just the two of them alone. If he had it his way, he would've avoided her as much as possible. Yet, here the two of them were, scraping food off of the plates they had just eaten off of.
"Look Brooke…" he wanted to explain himself, wanted to justify why they hadn't worked out, but she cut him off.
"You love her Lucas, and it's still so obvious," Brooke rolls her eyes and hands him another plate to dry, "What we had was fun, while it lasted. It wasn't love. It couldn't have been if you still love Peyton."
Looking at her now, Lucas realized just how much Brooke had grown up. She wasn't the same superficial Brooke she had been back in High School; in fact she was so far away from who she had once been. It was uncanny, this new wise look in her eyes, this grown up person standing in front of him.
"Besides, I've got better options than you now Broody," she laughed, splashing him with water, "Why else would I be here with Jake?"
"You're with Jake?" this surprised him, neither of them had even said anything about it.
"Yeah, for a year," she shrugged, "We haven't told anyone though. I love him though."
"Good for you," Lucas smiled, "You deserve it Brooke."
There was a fire going and they all sat around it three nights later. Christmas Eve seemed to be going well so far, and Brooke was cuddling with Jake on the love seat, the two of them having finally come out of the closet to everyone the night before. The looked so happy, that it made Lucas sad to realize that after all this time, he still hadn't been that happy with anyone. Not like Brooke and Jake looked happy, and certainly not the happy that Nathan and Haley were.
He caught Peyton's eye again and then smiled at her. She stood up and moved to sit next to him, offering him a cup of eggnog. He shook his head, and instead took her hand, leading her outside onto the porch. A set of swings hung nearby and they laughed, taking a seat on them.
"Couldn't take the sickeningly happy couple scene inside?" Peyton questioned.
"No," Lucas shook his head, watching her carefully, "And I wanted to give you your Christmas present."
"Oh, you know I love presents," she holds out her hand, "Give it over!"
"Well, when you put it that way," he laughed and reached into his pocket, taking out a small box, "Here."
"Thank you," She grinned and then opened the present.
She treated it with such gentle care, opening it slowly and methodically. Finally, she reached the box and lifted the lid. Letting out a light gasp, she looked at Lucas again as she pulled a gold chain holding a blue and white heart. It was something precious and delicate that Lucas had bought once a long time ago, with her in mind.
"Aw…Luke, I didn't get you anything," Peyton joked, trying not to let herself overly emotional, "I have an extra high five somewhere I think. Is that what you wanted for Christmas because then we could call it even."
"All I want for Christmas Peyton," he started, "Is you."
Peyton froze, leaning against the rope that held the swing. She seemed so surprised. Lucas didn't know whether this was a good sign, whether maybe this meant that she still thought about him. Or if this meant that she didn't think of him at all, especially not in the way he was implying.
"Mistletoe," she finally muttered.
"What?" Lucas looked at her utterly confused.
Pointing above them, Lucas finally took notice in the mistletoe that was hanging on the roof above them and chuckled lightly, leaning in to give Peyton a light kiss on the lips. When their lips finally joined though, it almost immediately turned into something much more passionate and loving.
"Merry Christmas Lucas," she whispered as a cold air blew around them.
"This was a way better Christmas present that a high five."