Eeeeekkkkk! Hello, All! This is, amazingly, chapter 7. Finally, finally. I could give you all the reasons that this chapter is so late (and I could probably stretch it to a multitude of reasons) but I won't. I'm hoping that you're more interested in the story than my excuses, so here it is. As ever, hope you enjoy, Lexie.
…
Since the bombshell of Elliot's parentage was revealed, Sawyer's felt as though she's living in a haze. Everything seems to pass her by; hunger, texts from friends, Facebook statuses, everything. Yet there are certain moments of clarity too. Moments when the haze clears and she really, really sees something. Like when she was bundled on the couch watched ET the previous night and she saw her Mom and Dad share a smile at the same time when Drew Barrymore dressed ET up. She's sure they probably do it every time they watch that movie thanks to the fact that she and Elliot used to re-enact it when they were little, but she'd never noticed before.
As she glances over the photograph on her desk behind the stack of homework she hasn't looked at all weekend, she notices Elliot's eyes smiling back at her. She's seen the picture a thousand times, she's seen Elliot pretty much every day of her life, but she's never noticed how bright his eyes are before. They're blue, like their Dad's, but not the same kind of blue. They're a lighter shade and they're more open and deep. His eyes are full of emotion, they always are, she realises. All her life she's mistaken a likeness to their Dad because they squint the same way but really they couldn't be more different.
Tearing her eyes away, Sawyer groans to herself. She hopes that one day this will stop; the constant whirring of her mind, as though she's somehow trying to piece together a puzzle. She preferred her life when she was oblivious; when she didn't notice her parents grinning over the fact that their kids got along so well or the fact that Elliot clearly inherited his eyes from someone outside the family.
She glides her hand over the photo frame and then across the top of a money box that she knows to be empty, and finally over a snow globe. She pauses over the last item and then picks it up in her hand. She frowns over the image inside; a girl and boy skating hand in hand in front of the Seattle skyline. It was a gift from her Dad from one of his many book tours; every place he'd visit, he'd make a special effort to bring something back for her and Elliot.
Sawyer stood on the lower rung of the railing at the Arrivals area of Tree Hill Airport. Her Mom's hands were on her hips, keeping her steady as she leaned further and further forward, desperately looking for her Daddy's face in the crowd of passengers through the gate. Her Dad had been away for ages, on another book tour, and she couldn't wait to see him. Beside her Elliot was also watching the gate, pretending to be more nonchalant at nine years old, but was really just as excited as his younger sister.
"I can't see him." Sawyer whined.
"Be patient." Peyton advised, although she knew wasn't one of her daughter's best qualities. She smiled anyway though, she loved that the kids were as excited to see Lucas as she was. It had been a longer trip than usual and all three Scotts were looking forward to finally having Lucas back with them.
Peyton flicked her eyes back to the Arrivals board to check that the flight from Seattle had indeed landed and the passengers were in baggage collection, even though she'd checked ten times or more in the last minute.
"There he is!" Elliot exclaimed suddenly before darting towards the opening at the end of the railings.
Sawyer scrambled down from where she was perched, desperate to catch up with her big brother and not miss out on a big running hug from their Dad. Peyton, with one eye on the kids, remained where she was stood and was able to catch Lucas' eye first, sending him a wide smile in greeting. She ran her eyes over his days-old stubble and the slight scruffiness of his grown out hair; both changes in his appearance since the last time she saw her husband. There was something else too; the broadness across his shoulders and the height in his stance, as though he had returned victorious from his trip.
By the time Peyton reached the end of the rails, the kids were already embraced in Lucas' arms. She smiled over the sight and waited her turn with about as much patience as Sawyer held waiting for her Dad.
"Hey, Blondie." Lucas said finally as he stood, breaking up his hug with the kids. He leant across, cradled his wife's back with his hand and pressed a long kiss to her lips. Peyton smiled into the kiss and felt every weight and worry she'd been carrying since his absence lift away.
Their embrace was broken by the grasp of little hands on their clothing, calling for attention, "Daddy, did you bring us presents?"
"Sawyer." Peyton warned as Lucas laughed at their innocent-eyed little girl.
"Here," Lucas unzipped his cabin bag and rummaged for a moment before producing two brown paper packages. "All the way from Seattle, Washington."
Elliot and Sawyer reached excitedly for the offerings and Lucas' smile widened at their glee. They tore through the paper and each found a delicate snow globe inside. Elliot shook his up and watched the imitation snow flutter down amongst the Seattle skyline. Sawyer meanwhile just frowned at the object.
"Shake it," Peyton coaxed, making the motion with her own hand to show Sawyer.
"It's a snow globe." Lucas told his daughter, crouching down to her level, "There's a little world inside where it's always winter. If you shake it up like this - it snows. Do you like it?"
Sawyer twisted her lips with indecision, "Those people have to live in winter forever?"
Lucas laughed, "It's okay, they like the cold, see how they're smiling?"
"So they're happy about the snow storm?" Sawyer enquired, "Everybody hates storms here."
Peyton snorted and ran her fingers through Sawyer's hair, "Trust her to over-analyse a snow globe."
Sawyer shakes away the memory of receiving the gift from her Dad and disturbs the globe like she was taught. Her frown remains as she watches the little snow flakes fall around the Space Needle; she's never really understood the beauty or the appeal of the ornament. Looking at the people trapped inside the glass dome she still feels the same sadness she felt as a young girl; two grinning characters trapped inside a storm, oblivious to sunshine and rain. Her Dad tried to point out to her that - were the people in the snow globe real (and Sawyer had absolutely believed they were) - they would only have known winters and they couldn't possibly miss what they didn't know. He'd said that if they were suddenly released from their storm, they may not know how to live, because their life would be completely changed. They were safer inside their perfect world.
At the time Sawyer had scoffed. She couldn't understand how anyone could be happier in a storm than in settled weather. Now though, she feels an affinity with the two characters inside the globe. Her life has been in a carefully encased in a bubble that she was completely unaware of. Now, the bubble's been burst and she wishes more than anything that she could go back to being oblivious.
"Sawy?" Her Mom swings her head around the door, "Are you coming for breakfast?"
Sawyer glances up, confused for a moment before realising that it's Sunday. On Sunday mornings they tend to go for breakfast at the cafe. It's the only morning of the week that they're usually all available and her Mom refuses to make three different dishes to match their preferences when they could get the same - if not better - in the cafe. Usually they'll be joined by their friends too and they mostly take over the place, much to Haley annoyance and immense pleasure.
"Course, Mom." Sawyer pushes a smile to her lips.
Peyton catches the force behind her smile and her brow puckers in response, "Are you okay?"
Sawyer sets the snow globe down a little forcibly - something that's becoming somewhat of a habit - and shrugs, "None of us are okay, are we?"
"Honey," Peyton steps into the room and gathers her almost grown up daughter into her arms. Sawyer expects some words of encouragement to follow but none come.
"We will be okay though." Sawyer adds, maybe for her own benefit as much for her Mom's.
Peyton pulls back and smiles to her daughter, "Yes. We will."
…
Haley hums to herself as she works. Sunday mornings are honestly her favourite in the cafe; no one's in a rush and best of all her friends usually come in for breakfast each week.
As she refills the coffee machine, the bell above the door jingles and she turns, expecting to see Nathan and Lydia. She sent them out to pick up some milk and has no idea what's taking them so long. When she glances up though it's not her husband and daughter that she sees.
"Lindsey." Her voice hisses at the visitor as she sets down the coffee beans and paces to the counter. "What are you doing here?"
Lindsey blanches somewhat, "I just wanted some coffee, I thought that I'd be welcome as a paying customer?"
Haley rolls her eyes, "Sunday mornings we all tend to meet here for breakfast. I'm sorry but it's really not a good time."
Pinching the bridge of her nose, Lindsey sighs, "So I have to hide in a motel room until Lucas is ready to speak to me?"
Haley purses her lips, "Look, it's really not my place to say what happens when. But I think you'll agree that Elliot bumping into you accidentally in a coffee shop wouldn't be ideal. I know you're desperate to see him and, gosh, I can't even imagine how you must feel, but it wouldn't be right. Just give Elliot some time. If it means waiting it out in a motel for a while, then so be it, won't it be worth it in the end?"
Lindsey looks to her with watery eyes, "I don't know, that's the thing."
"Things have a way of working out." Haley says as she crosses back to the coffee machine and pours a cup of sympathy for Lindsey. She presses a lid onto the styrofoam cup and sets it on the counter, "On the house."
The bell above the door jingles again and Haley feels a chill run the length of her body, fearful that Elliot may obliviously walk through the door. On seeing that it's Nathan and Lydia this time she feels a short wave of relief until she reads Nathan's expression.
"What is she doing here?" Nathan asks, setting the milk of the counter and looking purposely at Haley.
As he does, Lydia slips herself onto a free bar stool and eyes Lindsey curiously.
"She's leaving." Haley tells him in a soothing tone she usually reserves for her children.
Nathan shakes his head and turns with a sigh to Lindsey, "Go quickly and don't come back here; the kids are in here, all the time."
Lydia looks towards Haley, "Mom?"
"Shh, I'll talk to you later." Haley says, to which Lydia rolls her eyes largely.
"You never tell me anything." Lydia grumbles and throws her head back in disgust, showing all of her teenage tendencies in one quick moment.
"Thank you, Haley." Lindsey nods to the woman she'd like to call her friend again, as the door of the cafe is pushed open.
Davis and Jude barrel inside, boyishly arguing over something or other, closely followed by their parents.
When Brooke's eyes land on Lindsey they widen in surprise and she points towards the ghost from her past, "Oh, no! No, no, no, no! You can't be here," She looks between Nathan and Haley, "She can't be here!"
"Gee, we hadn't realised, Brooke." Nathan answers dryly and steps forwards to open the door to show Lindsey out of, "She's going."
"Who's she?" Davis asks, peering non too subtly towards Lindsey.
"No one!" Brooke answers quickly and begins shushing the three curious kids towards a booth at the back of the room. "Go blow milkshake bubbles or something, stop growing up so fast!"
The trio pull similar faces of annoyance but make motions to move away from their parents, speculating all the way.
"She's called Lindsey." Lydia informs her friends. "And Dad seems to absolutely hate her."
"Must be a Magic fan." Jude muses in his faraway way, causing Davis to shove him hard by the shoulder.
…
Peyton smirks as her two long limbed kids groan their way out of the backseat of the Comet, as they do almost every Sunday morning.
"Why can't we take someone else's car?" Sawyer moans as she steps out onto the sidewalk.
"Shake it off," Lucas suggests as Sawyer elaborately stretches her arms out, preventing anyone else from occupying that part of the sidewalk.
"It would be less cramped if there wasn't so much junk in the footwells." Elliot comments, looking pointedly towards his Mom.
Lucas narrows his eyes towards his wife who bites down on her lower lip and shrugs, "Sometimes I get fast food…and sometimes I forget to take it in for the trash."
Wrinkling his nose, Lucas shakes his head, "Well, I guess that explains why you drive an open top."
Sawyer snorts, as they reach Tree Hill Cafe, "Yeah, that's the reason she drives the Comet; to cover the stench of rotting fries."
"It's the rule of the life - the prettier the girl - the messier car." Lucas says as he pulls open the door. "Keith told me that."
"He did?" Peyton's voice changes and becomes lighter somehow. Lucas can tell from the small smile covering her lips that she enjoys finding new things out about Keith as much as she does her Mom and Ellie.
As Sawyer and Elliot walk inside to greet Haley, Lucas pauses and arches his brow, "Ye-ah, and he also said it was a turn on."
Peyton's laughter whips around the cafe as they step inside, her expression one of open happiness. Mid-laugh she feels Lucas reach for her hand and grip it tightly.
From his touch, all she can feel is terror. She's taken back to a school hallway when Brooke once reached for her hand in the same way; fuelled by both fear and protection.
This isn't like that though; the world doesn't rush with movement and the hand holding hers isn't lost in the flurry.
Nothing seems to move at all.
The pain though, that feels about the same as being shot.
She's the first to move somehow, the first to react. She steps away from Lucas and reaches for both of her kids, messily. She catches Elliot by the upper arm and Sawyer by her jeans, she thinks, "We're going, now."
It's too late though, she can tell. The idiotic way that she and Lucas reacted gave it away. Their eyes wide and fixated on the woman stood just inside the door with a takeaway cup in hand. Their strides frozen. Her gasp and Lucas' gruff growl-like response. It told the kids everything they needed to know. It showed Elliot what he may have been oblivious to otherwise.
It told them that there, stood before them, was her; Lindsey.
"I said now!" Peyton reiterates, her voice shaking and tears springing in her eyes already. She gets some movement from Sawyer as she all but tries to drag her out, but Elliot doesn't shift an inch. He's as strong and as stubborn as his father when he wants to be.
Suddenly he turns, his eyes wounded, his expression scared, "This is..?"
"Honey," Peyton says with urgency, tilting her head towards the door. "Please, Elliot."
She's tried, a thousand times over, to imagine this moment, even orchestrate it. She's dreamt of it, or more had nightmares about it, but the reality somehow seems worse, as it often does. The look in Elliot's eyes, as though she herself has just plunged a knife in his back, is something she never envisioned happening.
"That's her?" Sawyer asks, her volume ignorant to the other diners seated nearby. She looks wildly around at her aunts and uncles, "What's she doing in here? Aunt Haley? She doesn't belong here, this is our place. Tell her to leave."
"Sawyer." Lucas berates softly but there's no real threat in his voice.
Peyton glances over at her husband and sees that his glare is fixed on Lindsey. There's rage in his eyes and his jaw is flickering in a manner that she can only recall witnessing once or twice before, and always in Dan Scott's company.
From behind the counter, Haley stutters her niece's name, "Sawyer, it's not like-, Lucas, I'm sorry-, Oh Elliot-,"
Her voice gives out and she shakes her head, her hands covering her mouth. Internally Peyton curses herself. She knows that Lindsey has been spending time over at Nathan and Haley's, she should have thought to call ahead and make sure Lindsey was absolutely nowhere near the cafe.
"Maybe I should go." Lindsey says suddenly, her voice cutting though the air like a lightning bolt. She lays her eyes over the teenage boy stood before her, "If that's what you'd like…Elliot?"
Her lips flicker as though contemplating a smile and Peyton feels her stomach turn. She had thought she might be able to remain objective, having had such a great experience meeting her own birth mother, but she feels her motherly instinct bursting through her expectations.
"Don't give him a leading question!" Lucas bites, stepping forward so that he's stood between Lindsey and the kids, pointing his finger aggressively towards Lindsey.
Peyton moves too, so that she's beside Elliot. She wants to support him in whatever he does, no matter whether it breaks her own heart or not. She side glances her son and nudges him lightly with her shoulder. "Kiddo, I'm sorry it's happened like this but Lindsey's right, it is absolutely your call." Peyton tells him softly, "Nothing you want to do is wrong, even if you change your mind later, what you do now is not wrong, okay?"
He keeps his gaze fixed forwards on Lindsey as he nods telling his Mom he heard her. He then steps forward, around his Dad so that he's face to face for the first time in his living memory with his birth mother.
She's not what he expected, but he can't say for sure quite what it is that he was expecting. She's pretty, he thinks, and there's an air of elegance about her too. And her eyes, he can't help but stare at them. He doesn't think he looks much like her at all but there's no denying that they have the same clear blue eyes.
"Hey," He says simply and instantly she breaks down into a wave of tears.
She waves her hands in front of her face, flustered and shakes her head, "I'm sorry, it's just, it's really overwhelming to see you."
Elliot snorts a little, "Yeah, likewise."
There's a hint of sarcasm to his tone that the three blonde Scotts behind him catch simultaneously. Lucas turns to Peyton and arches an eyebrow, she offers a hint of smile back.
"It's really, really, nice to see you again." Lindsey says, behind a wall of tears.
He nods but doesn't return the sentiment. "I'm sure you'll get this, since you once felt the same way…I'm not ready to handle this. I have my Mom and my Dad right here, I'm not looking for another one. You let me go once and now I'm doing the same. I'd like you to leave."
Lindsey nods stiffly but the hurt is written right across her face, "Okay. Okay then."
Elliot watches as she gathers her purse and takes one final look back at him before stepping out of the cafe. Once she's gone he feels how hard his heart is hammering, as though it's trying to break free from his chest.
His Mom says nothing but steps up and wraps her arms tightly around him. He closes his eyes and takes a deep breath wondering if he's done the right thing or not.
The calm moment is broken by the intrusion of Clay, Quinn, Logan and Scarlett entering the cafe. Quinn has her arm around Logan's neck in some kind of wrestling type move and Clay's holding Scarlett upside down by her ankles.
"How do you like your eggs in the morning?" Clay sings, bouncing Scarlett with every note. "I like mine…."
His voice trails away at the sight of the Scott family and he turns Scarlett the right way up.
"That witch Lindsey was here." Sawyer offers by way of an explanation, arms folded tightly over her chest and her scowl rivalling that of her Mom back in high school.
Logan wrinkles his nose from within Quinn's headlock, "Who's Lindsey?"
"No one. She's no one." Elliot answers before anyone else can say a word.
…
Not sure it was my best but it's the best I've written for a long time!
So, there it is; Elliot and Lindsey meeting finally! I'm so looking forward to the next stage of this story, I'd love to hear what you think!