-1Disclaimer: I own nothing but my own characters!
Lauren sat in silence as Lucas drove her to Jake's house. Lucas couldn't really blame her. They were strangers, it wasn't as if she could just tell him about her day. Thankfully the drive was short and Lauren gave good directions. Soon they were pulling up in front of Jake's house.
"I'll walk you up." Lucas said as they exited the car. As Lauren neared the door it was thrown open and Peyton rushed to meet her daughter.
"Lauren, baby, I'm so sorry." Peyton cried as she hugged her daughter.
"I'm fine mom. We'll talk later." Lauren said as she wrangled herself out of her mother's arms. She turned and smiled at Lucas and waved before heading inside with Jenny.
"Thank you for getting her home safely Lucas." Peyton said with a smile.
"No problem. Any father would do that." Lucas said coldly as he started to turn back to the car. The pain was still too fresh. He couldn't talk to her yet, if he did he would definitely say something he would surely regret.
"I deserved that but would you please just hear me out?" Peyton pleaded. Lucas simply nodded.
"I wanted to tell you Lucas. I did. It was just that I knew how much you wanted to play basketball at North Carolina. You had worked so hard for it. You deserved it. I couldn't be the one to take that from you. It would have broken my heart. I was worried that if I did tell you that you would stay out of obligation and I didn't want that. I wanted to know that I meant more to you than just an obligation. So I let you go. I gave you a chance at happiness. Why can't you see that? I didn't do it to hurt you." Peyton sounded so sincere. Lucas wanted to just walk away. He couldn't even think of a civil response.
"Luke?" Peyton asked quietly as he just stood there staring at her.
"What do you want me say Peyton? Huh? Thanks for keeping what could have been the most precious thing in my life away from me? Thanks for not letting me make my own decisions? Thanks for deciding that I would be happier playing basketball than loving you for the rest of my life? I loved you Peyton! I never would have regretted Lauren! Never! How dare you sit here and say that you didn't mean to hurt me! I can't talk to you anymore Peyton. Not right now." Lucas said, walking her off.
He squealed his tires as he sped off. He couldn't even slow his thoughts down enough to process what had just happened. He headed towards Nathan's house. The only coherent thought he had was telling him that he couldn't go home right now. He was in no mood to explain all this to Brooke and deal with her pettiness.
Before long he was pulling up in front of Nathan and Haley's house. Nathan had been drafted into the NBA after college. Haley stayed in Tree Hill while he traveled. They had two year old twins named Seth and Emma. Lucas wished he had been able to see them more often.
Haley answered the door holding Emma. Lucas could hear Seth singing in the other room.
"Hey Luke, its bath time, give me 15 minutes or so and these munchkins will be down for the night. You can hang out in the living room, get something to eat, whatever." Haley said breathlessly as she darted back down the hall. Lucas had to chuckle at her. She was the person most suited for motherhood that he knew. She made it look effortless, even with twins.
He grabbed a soda out of the fridge and plopped down on the couch. There was a game on the television. Lakers vs. Pistons. Lucas hoped Nathan was kicking some Piston's butt. He got so into the game that he didn't hear Haley come back into the room.
"Nate winning?" She asked as she sank down beside him.
"Yep, 2 minutes to go and they're up by 15." Luke told her.
"So what's up? You look like crap by the way." Haley told him. Lucas smiled. He loved how she could be so honest with him even when she hadn't seen him in so long.
"Did you know that Peyton and I have a daughter?" Luke asked. He had assumed she didn't or else he would have known. Judging by her reaction he was right. Haley stood up and looked at him as if he had just told her the moon was made of cheese.
"What?! I knew she had a daughter. I mean I've never met her but she's told me about her. She never mentioned a father and I didn't ask, I mean its not my business who she sleeps with. How could she not tell you?" Haley exclaimed. Lucas shrugged.
"Beats me. She says she didn't tell me because she knew how excited I was about playing ball at UNC. As if I would have cared about that knowing I was having a baby with the love of my life? I just can't deal with her right now. And I can't go home and deal with Brooke either. She'll have a field day with this." Lucas sighed tiredly. He was mentally exhausted.
"Crash here. We have plenty of space. Stay as long as you like. You know we're always here for you Luke." Haley said with a smile.
"Thanks. I was hoping you'd say that." He said, grinning.
"Please, as if I could turn away an extra pair of hands." Haley laughed. Lucas groaned good naturedly. Leave it to Haley to put him to work while he was here.