A/N: A quick little thing…

Ryder and Ella aka La-la are Peyton and mystery guy twins. Age 10

Lucas Jr aka LJ Brucas son age 11.

Angelina Brucas daughter age 7

Brooklyn Cassie and Davis daughter age 11 and a half.

Cassie is Skills daughter, Sean is Mouth and Millie's son.

Sawyer is thirty now

As is Jamie. Cassie is almost thirty….

-x-

There was a tense silence between the three. Peyton was glaring while Brooke eyes her steadily, ready for whatever. Lucas was I instantly tired of the bullshit.

"Dad we're ready to go." LJ said timidly, not liking the way the lady was looking at his mother. Brooklyn was beside him, both having came from inside the house.

Lucas nodded, "That's a good idea. We should just go—"

"You're not going anywhere with my children!"

Brooke took LJ's hand and walked into the house. Lucas chuckled darkly then stated. "They're not your children. We only did this for them but turns out you proved just why you can't have any part of their lives at all."

"Luke—"

Sawyer stepped in front of her, halting Peyton's pursuit and shook her head then said, "Mom…you said that you changed. You convinced me that you were ready for this. How could you attack Brooke like that?!"

"She stole my life! She stole your father—"

Sawyer rolled her eyes, "The same rhetoric you've been saying for years. Mom…I say this with love; he is not leaving Brooke for you. I know you are obsessed with him but you gotta let that go. Or you'll be the one that's hurt and not them. Let it go."

Meanwhile Brooke gathered the kids and hugged Haley and Nathan as well as Jamie and his wife, Keira Scott (daughter of Rachel Gatina), Skills and his new wife Brianna.

"We will see you guys later." Brooke said after each hug.

"I wish you didn't have to leave but we understand. I'll send Nathan over with some food okay?" Haley said with a tight smile.

Lucas hugged his friend and said, "That's okay. We're going to take the kids out to get their minds off this. See ya later y'all."

"See you guys!"

In the car Brooke and Lucas looked at their kids through the rearview mirror and saw that they all fell asleep. Lucas chuckled then redirected towards their home of nine years.

"Can you believe that bitch?" she whispered, not wanting the kids to hear. "We cannot put them through that again."

Lucas eyes remained on the road as he said, "We won't. We were trying to be courteous but she's so fucking whacked out that we cannot even do that. Besides the twins made it more than clear that they got nothing out of these visitations."

"I feel guilty that we exposed them to that. But then again…they needed to see how she is. They needed to know how their mother is." she then leaned her head against the window and whispered, "At least that's what I keep telling myself."

-x-

Brooke started humming a romantic tune as she thought about Lucas, her mind still on last night when he had made-love to her so tenderly—well after taking her so furiously when they put the kids to bed after coming home from the disastrous barbeque at Naleys.

Lucas was locked into what he was writing, looking really sexy in those black rimmed glasses perched on his nose. Just as she was about to take advantage of the empty house and walk over to him the house phone rang.

Cursing silently Brooke walked to the phone on the wall in the living room, "Hello?"

"Hi is Mrs. Scott home?"

Brooke frowned then said, "Speaking…"

"Oh hi, this is Principal Wood. I'm sorry to bother you but I must inform you that both of your boys were engaged in a violent confrontation at school today…"

"What?" she rasped, that didn't sound like LJ nor Ryder. "What happened? Are they alright?"

"Yes they're okay. According to a few witnesses Lucas Jr was the one that threw the first punch. A couple other kids got involved and then Ryder got involved. Since this is their first offense I won't suspend them but if this should happen again I would have no other choice. I suggest counseling…"

Brooke faced away from her husband and said in a low tone, "You and I both know that my kids are not prone to violent behavior. Check your sources again because someone is lying!"

Without another word she hung up and placed a hand on her forehead, unsure how to take this in. She walked into Lucas office as she had planned on doing before but now for a whole different reason.

"That was Principal Wood…according to her our boys just got into a fight. They're fine but she suggests counseling."

Lucas put down his laptop and took off his glasses and sat back, a stunned expression on his face. "That doesn't sound like them…"

"That's exactly what I said. Do you think that this new aggression has something to do with Peyton?"

Lucas chuckled, "Not everything could be her fault babe."

Brooke walked further into the room saying, "Oh yes it can. I once told Haley that she was like a cursed rabbit's foot. And look, it's still true." she said as she sat down in his lap. He held her there, the action second nature. "Our kids are good kids. And she's been out of Westvillage for one day and all of a sudden they're fighting in school. I see a connection."

Lucas had to agree. "You might be right. But we have to talk to them before making assumptions." He then chucked her chin and smiled as a begrudging smile graced her beautiful face. "So…we have the house to ourselves and I just finished a couple chapters…what do you say about fooling around for awhile?"

Brooke softly raked a long nail along his neck causing him to shiver and said, "You read my mind…"

-x-

"Why did the school call us saying that you two got in a fight?" Lucas asked sternly as Ryder and LJ walked into the living room a few hours later, followed by Ella, Angelina and Brooke. "Is that a black eye?" he asked LJ, noting the darkening circle around his left eye.

LJ shrugged then said, "You should see the other guys."

That was such a Brooke-ism that Lucas had to look away to keep from smiling. He straightened his facial expression then stated, "Now's not the time LJ…what happened?"

"It was my fight Dad, Ryder only got involved because they were trying to jump me."

"Why did the fight happen in the first place?" Brooke asked, tossing her car keys on the coffee table, her eyes on both boys. LJ remained silent so she looked to the youngest and asked expectantly, "Ryder?"

LJ leaned over and hissed into Ryder's ear, "Don't say anything—"

"You do know that I heard that right?" Brooke said as she crossed her arms over her chest, her face locked with disapproval. "What don't you want us to know LJ?"

"Answer your mother LJ!" Lucas demanded.

LJ looked at their parents and said, practically pleaded, "Leave it!"

"No! Now tell us what's going on or you will be punished until the end of the century!" Brooke said sternly, using her no-nonsense voice.

LJ rolled his eyes then answered, "Fine…this assh—I mean this boy was making fun of Ryder and tried to bully him, he was pushing him over and over so I punched him out."

"Is this true Ryder?" Lucas asked the younger boy, his eyes taking in his hunched posture.

Ryder nodded, his eyes tearing up because of what happened and the fact that he didn't want LJ to get in trouble for his problem.

Lucas exhaled, "What was said?"

"They said that I'm weird. And that I'm going to end up like my real mom…in a nuthouse or in prison or both like her. They were going to dump me in the trash can but LJ stopped them! He was only defending me!" Ryder then started to cry and LJ hugged him, trying to ward off the pain he was feeling. "Why did she have to come back?!"

Sometimes Lucas cursed how small this town was. The gossip must've spread all over that Peyton troublemaker Sawyer was back home and now their kids had to deal with the fallout.

He got up and hugged his boys, "Hey…you shouldn't have fought them because violence is never the solution to a problem. But I can't punish either of you for doing what true brothers do. And that's stick by each other no matter what. So go to your rooms and calm down. Your mother and I have to talk."

The two practically raced upstairs, relieved that they weren't in trouble after all.

"You were right."

"Yeah sometimes I hate being right." she said with a sigh. They both sat down simultaneously, wondering what they could do about the situation.

"We should call Naley and Sawyer over. Distract them from what happened." Brooke said, knowing that having the people that they love and loved them in return surround them would make them happier.

"Might work. I'll call Sawyer. You handle Haley."

-x-

Brooke ran as fast as she could to avoid them but she wasn't fast enough. They tossed the missile and she was soaked seconds later. She gasped at the coldness of the water and glared at her husband and lunged at him but then she was caught in the chest by another water balloon. She shivered and swung her gaze at the little monster responsible, which was LJ who was laughing and sticking his tongue out at her. She growled and ran after him shouting, "C'mere you little twerp!"

"You'll never take me alive!" he taunted and ran, much, much faster than she did.

"Hey pick on somebody your own size!" Lucas taunted, then tossing another balloon at her which landed directly on her ass. She screeched a battle cry and threw one directly in the kisser. "Oh! That's wrong!" he said spitting out grass and rubber.

"Ha-ha!" she taunted back and threw another one unmercifully.

"Leave Dad alone!" he yelled and threw a purple balloon at her, landing right in the middle of her pants.

She gasped then grinned evilly and aimed at him, and then threw it far enough to hit his little chest. "Ha-ha victory shall be mine!" she vowed.

"Not if I can help it!" Lucas declared and threw the last one in his pile.

She smiled knowing that they ran out of water balloons while she still had a pile left. Seeing this they looked at each other and ran saying, "Retreat…retreat!"

She laughed mercilessly and was just about to throw one when, "Guys dinners ready!" Sawyer announced over the picnic table.

"Oh you guys are so lucky I didn't kick your butts!" she grumbled sourly, soaked to the bone. They both just smiled annoyingly and walked to the table. Little did they know; that she had one more trick up her sleeve—literally. She fell back and threw one right in the middle—splashing them both.

"Brooke!" Lucas said, glaring behind him at her. "We're in the time out zone. Have some decency!"

She shrugged, looking innocuous. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Brooke sat in the middle of Lucas and their son while Ryder and Ella who had stayed close with their big sister, sat across from them and watched Sawyer fix her plate. Angel was inside taking a nap. The smell of leftover hickory-smoked ribs and barbequed chicken made their stomach rumble along with sides of potato salad, spicy baked beans and Mac and cheese. They soon forgot about the water war they had and was joking around while eating their meal. LJ was enjoying his third piece of chicken while Lucas took her hand and led her to where they couldn't be overheard. As soon as they were alone Lucas had her in his arms and looked in her eyes, a huge smile plastered on his wonderfully handsome face.

"Even though you look like a drowned rat—"

"And who's fault is that?" she asked, with a joking scowl on her face.

"Let me finish woman…" he said looking at her quivering bottom lip, "even though you look like a drowned rat you're still very beautiful to me…"

Before she could comment he kissed her passionately, dragging her closer to him. She sighed and melted into his taste until they heard a collection of clicks. She broke away from him and saw that there were a crowd of people snapping pictures of them and she wondered dimly how long they were there and how they managed to find them. Lucas looked at them, angry that they disrupted their moment and led her in the house.

"Not this again! How long do you think it'll take for them to get the hint that there's no story?" Lucas asked, knowing that wasn't the end of it. Everyone knew that the paparazzi were relentless and it was just a matter of time that they would follow them everywhere they'd go asking about how they felt about Peyton's release.

"I don't know…hopefully soon." She said toweling her hair.

"Hopefully…" he said wanting to pound the guys that so rudely interrupted their romantic moment.

She placed her hands on both his cheeks then kissed his lips, nibbling on his bottom lip seductively. "Forget them. Ok?" He frowned a little and nodded. "Ok… now let's go get into some dryer clothes."

"Can you tell Hales and Sawyer to look after the kids for us?"

"Hales was right next to me and heard you, she's walking out there as we speak."

"Thanks Natey!" she shouted back, she led Lucas to the laundry-room. He eyed her curiously when she locked the door behind them. Then the curiosity turned to heat when she began stripping out her wet clothes. Her nipples were visible from her bra and were distended and poking out invitingly, her skin slick. He licked his suddenly dry lips and began undressing too, his erection rising to life at the thought of what could happen. She continued to strip out of her underwear until she was gloriously naked before his eyes. He nearly groaned when she bent over, displaying her gorgeous sex as she placed their clothes in the drier. Then all too soon the show was over when she stood straight and started the machine.

She smiled knowingly and turned toward him, placing her hands on her naked hip. "We never did get to fool around earlier…" She said with a little smirk on her lips. He chuckled and brought her close to him and kissed her passionately. He backed her into the running drier and could feel the vibrations through her body. He lifted her up then placed her on it then bent down, he then began pleasuring her by inserting his finger inside her in a come-hither motion instantly hitting her G-spot.

Brooke cried out as she leaned back, the combinations of the driers vibration and his quick and merciless thrusting had her on the edge in mere seconds instead of the minutes it usually takes for her to climax. She really lost it when he closed his lips over her clit, grasping his hair and pulling him closer as she came wetly on his tongue. He then did the process all over again, ignoring his needs to ensure she had another powerful orgasm. He didn't move until she silently begged him to stop. She turned and added another five minutes to the cycle then had him enter her then and there.

Lucas stirred his cock inside her by swiveling his hips in a circle, knowing he'd hit every part of her, also groaning at the new sensations the drier contributed. Brooke clutched him close, her nails biting in his sides as he began pounding inside her, unable to stop himself from doing it. She cried out silently, her beautiful mouth shaping a perfect O as another climax claimed her, her inner walls clasping him tightly, growing tighter and tighter as the waves grew stronger and stronger—the vibrations obviously helping her achieve a longer orgasm. Lucas couldn't fight it anymore; he spilled inside her as he was dragged undertow as well. It seemed it went on and on, making him sag against her as she clutched him as well.

Finally it stopped, their climaxes finally easing into gentle flexes instead of greedy pulls. He looked her in the eyes, feeling so worn out and yet energized.

He saw her eyes were dazed as his had to be and smiled, "Good God, you sure know how to take my breath away."

"Back at'cha big man… I love you so much Luke." she said, looking incredibly sexy even if her hair was wild and soaked with sweat—as were the rest of her body which was insanely hot as well. He eased out of her, silently loving the slick feel of their combined juices as he removed himself from her. "It's been years since the last time we did this. We should do it more often." She said with a mischievous grin.

He had to admit it was amazing, so he asked, "With the washer or dryer?"

She grinned then replied, "Both."

-x-

It was Saturday morning and the twins were staying over Sawyer's place for the weekend. Brooke had taken Angelina with her for a girl's day while Lucas had LJ for a male bonding experience.

Lucas showed LJ how to hook the bait onto the hook and then cast the hook into the lake. "Your turn buddy."

LJ did as he was shown, hooking the bait a little clumsily. "Like this?"

"Exactly like that. Good job!" he said with pride.

LJ beamed with pride and they sat there on the edge of the lake, waiting for a fish to bite. "Dad?"

"Yeah son?"

"I wanted to talk to you about Ryder…he really doesn't want to see that crazy lady anymore."

Lucas looked at his son who was looking more and more like him everyday, stunned that he would bring this up. "The only reason we allowed her any kind of visitation is because she's their birth mother."

"But she scares them. Real bad dad. To the point Ella has nightmares and Ryder closes himself up. He won't even talk to me about it. I have to bring it out of him."

And there's the Brooke part of him.

"I know you're worried about Ryder and Ella…but you don't have to anymore."

LJ looked at his father and said, "Of course I do. They may not be blood but they are my siblings and I will always worry about them."

Lucas was proud of his declaration. "I only meant that your mother and I decided not to let her see them anymore. So—" he broke off seeing that one of the poles was moving. "Son I think you caught something!"

LJ's blue eyes widened with excitement as he said, "Really?! I did?!"

Lucas positioned himself to where he could help reel in the catch. LJ and Lucas fought together to bring it in and finally they were able to. It was a nice sized catfish that he managed to catch. It had to be around 9 pounds and 28 inches long.

"Wow. You beat me, Nate and Uncle Keith combined with that fish!" Lucas said as he took a picture of LJ standing by his catch before unhooking it and sending it back into the wild.

Lucas hugged his son and said, "I'm proud of you LJ…not just for landing the biggest fish that I've ever seen but…you're a great big brother to your sister and the twins. And you're a great kid."

LJ's chest bowed with pride and he smiled big, "Thanks Dad…"

"What do you say about pizza for lunch?

"That would be awesome!"

"Alright let's go!"

Thirty minutes later they were at their beach house. "Can we have that humongous pizza from Guiana's Pizzeria?" he asked enthusiastically, his mouth already tasting the gooeyness of hot melted cheese, with plenty of peppers, olives, different meats and mushrooms. His stomach growled at the very vision.

Lucas smiled and dialed up the number, then teased him, "Alright, alright I'm dialing. Hold your horses!"

His son chuckled sheepishly and climbed on the tall stool, next to where his father stood. "Well what do you expect? I haven't eaten since lunch and I'm a growing boy!"

He ruffled his shaggy blonde hair, "So I see. You must have grown at least 10 inches the last time you've been here."

"Only 10 inches?!" he grumbled lowly, staring at him with those huge blue eyes that he inherited from him. "I thought I grew more than that!"

"Hey! 10 inches is a lot!" he looked down at his son and asked, "What do you want on your pizza?"

"I want extra cheese, with plenty of peppers, olives, different kinds of meats and mushrooms…" his stomach joined in the conversation at the mention of food.

Lucas laughed, "Alright, so be it." He said then ordered two pizzas once the woman finally came to the phone.

After the pizza man arrived and was paid Brooke and Angelina walked in, Lucas having texted her that they should spend the rest of the weekend there at the beach house.

So there they sat at the kitchen table, all four of them eating their favorite pizzas, sharing a few pieces with each other out of their private boxes. After dinner they laughed and played board games then watched TV until finally they all were tuckered out for the night.