Alright, so Peyton's paternity is revealed in this chapter...I'd like to wrap up the Peyton/mother/father storyline soon. I have so many ideas and storylines in my head, I just don't know how to piece them together yet...I'm thinking of dropping a couple cause there are so many...but rest assured, true feelings for certain couples will surface. It may take a little longer than I anticipated (for getting chapters up and for couples to get together). Anyways, I hope you enjoy this one.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything OTH related. The song used in this chapter is by Van Halen.

Chapter 5

"Dad?"

"Peyton," Larry walked over and swept his daughter into his arms. He held her tight, never wanting to let go because he knew that when she found out the truth, he'd never be able to hug her again.

"I'm so glad you're home now, Dad. Did you get my messages?"

Larry nodded, "Yeah, I got them all. I'm sorry I didn't get home sooner. I wanted to call, but I thought it'd be best if I told you in person,"

He sat across from his daughter at the kitchen table. His gaze was fixed at the brown wood in front of him, waiting for the words to come. Larry didn't know how to begin. There was so much to tell her about the past that could upset and hurt his only daughter.

"Dad," Peyton finally began, "who's Elizabeth?"

Larry knew the day telling Peyton the truth would come, but did it have to be now? He hoped that she didn't really want to know because he wanted to spare her the pain, "Peyton, are you sure you want to know?"

"Dad, she's claiming to be my mother. Of course I want to know. Is she my mother?" There was no going back now. No matter what the truth was, she had to know.

"Peyton…" he trailed off.

"What? Just tell me, please. I need to know. I deserve to know," she said as her impatience grew to anger.

"Alright...but just remember, your mother was and always be the one who raised you and loved you. Remember that ok?"

Peyton nodded, "I will…please just tell me,"

Larry sighed heavily as he began.

Flashback

"Liz! Don't!" Larry yelled as he rushed to the young blond who was leaning over the coffee table. He quickly, but gently pushed her out of the way as he brushed his arm across the tabletop, causing the white powder to scatter and fall to the floor.

She became upset, "Larry! Why'd you do that? I need…"

"You're pregnant for God's sake, Liz! How could you?"

"Just one line, Larry, please. One more line then I promise I'll stop," she begged.

"No. As long as you're carrying my child, you are going to stay sober,"

Larry didn't know. He didn't know that Elizabeth was hooked on drugs when he started seeing her. It was only when she moved in with him did he find out. But truthfully, Larry was never really in love with her, he had only asked because she was pregnant with his child.

End Flashback

Peyton gasped. Her mother, Anna, wasn't her mother. Peyton's hands trembled as her eyes filled with hurt and tears, "No, you're lying,"

When Larry opened his eyes, tears escaped, "I'm sorry, I wish I was but…Elizabeth is your birth mother," Larry paused, trying to collect himself, "She was the daughter of our band manager and that's how we met. We dated for a while and during that time…"

Peyton was numb. If Anna wasn't really her mother, then who was she? "What about mom?" she asked softly.

Flashback

"Girl, you really got me now'. You got me so I don't know what I'm doin'. Girl, you really got me now…You got me so I can't sleep at night…" Larry Sawyer sang and rocked his daughter in his arms. While other babies were sung lullabys, Larry's daughter heard every rock song from AC/DC to U2. Being a young and inexperienced father, Larry didn't exactly know how to raise a baby, let alone what lullaby to sing, but he was trying the best he could.

It was three days after his baby girl was born and already, Larry Sawyer was a single father. Elizabeth had disappeared in the middle of the night and never returned. Larry wasn't surprised to awaken the next morning to find Elizabeth gone, but the twenty-three-year-old father was disappointed. He was disappointed that a mother would abandon her newborn daughter. It was something that he couldn't understand either because one look at his daughter and Larry fell in love. She was daddy's little girl.

As his voice became softer, mimicking Van Halen's version of the song, his baby fell asleep, "Please, don't ever let me be…I only wanna be by your side…Girl you really got me now…" he continued to sing when a knock on the door interrupted.

He carefully opened his apartment door with one hand, while carefully cradling his baby. There standing in front of him was a young pretty woman who was nervously biting her thumbnail. Her hair was brown and curly and her face looked strangely familiar.

She smiled when she saw the baby in his arms. Larry immediately fell for her smile.

"Hi," she finally said, "I'm Anna…Anna Schwann. Elizabeth's sister,"

Larry was shocked. He wasn't aware that Elizabeth had any siblings, in fact, he didn't know much about her.

"You must be Larry…and this must be my niece…may I hold her?"

Larry was still speechless, but he nodded his head and let Anna hold his daughter. It looked natural, the way she held her and the way Anna held her tiny little hands. That's when her tiny little eyes opened. It was almost as if she knew she was being held by a stranger. Her eyes focused on Anna's warm smile. The baby felt safe. Her eyes sleepily closed again, finding comfort in her arms.

End Flashback

"Peyton, we planned on telling you, but then when Anna died…" Larry paused, biting back his tears, "I…I couldn't bring myself to tell you. She was the only mother you knew and I just couldn't take that away from you too,"

It was a lot for Peyton to take in. The only mother that she had ever known; the one who raised her; and the one that loved her unconditionally was in fact her aunt. The blonde teen sat in her seat, numb with angst.

"Peyton, say something…please,"

"I…I can't be here…" Peyton stood abruptly and ran out of the kitchen and out of the house.

Larry wanted to go after her, but he knew his daughter. She needed some time alone. Whether he liked it or not, this was how Peyton dealt with her problems. And Larry didn't like it. He didn't want his daughter to be alone. So he picked up the phone and dialed.

She waited for the tears to come, but there weren't any. Alone, Peyton sat in her car. With the keys in the ignition, she sat in her seat with her hands gripping the steering wheel till her knuckles turned white. Peyton had only gotten as far as putting the keys in the slot, as she was too emotional to drive.

The shadow of a figure suddenly casted over her. Her eyes looked up and saw the familiar boy, "Nathan?"