A/N: Thank you Lucasandpeytonfanatic, lift-me-up, TheirDiamonds, lukenpeyton4ever, OTHGirl24, cayt326, jamyj30, Lexie-Rae, Ace5492, bendecida82 for your wonderful reviews and I apologize for not replying (at least yet). Have anyone else's Fanfiction emails been acting up? Mine's been screwed up and the emails come with days' delay (if at all I sometimes feel). So I only noticed some of the reviews now, which was a wonderful surprise. Getting to post this right after reading the most persuasive "update soon" request I have ever seen, makes this all the more special to me. Had I known I'd end up dedicating this chapter to you bendecida82, it might have turned out different. But when I'll hit post, I'll think about you warmly and hope this will bring you joy.

"Welcome back Mr. and Mrs. Scott!" their counselor shook their hands and they once again seated themselves to her office. "How has the week been?"

"It's been different." Lucas said as he noticed Lindsey was going to need a little time.

"Has it been a good or bad difference?"

"Both." the estranged couple said simultaneously.

"Tell me about it. How has it been different?"

"It has been nothing like it ever was before. More real, I think. We have been so apart. Mostly lived our own lives and then tried to just make an effort in connecting, like you told us. And I think I think, at least I have connected with myself better than before. It has been a painful and confusing week, but I have a have felt like myself more than I have in a very long time." Lindsey explained.

"Yeah, you felt like that, too? Because, I was just thinking that it felt like a found a huge piece of me that had been lost for years." for the first time in a really long time they shared a genuine smile. Ironically it was one that actually made them feel a connection between them. They took in the feeling of it before Lucas continued.

"I also realized that I need to take care of that part I found on my own. I have lacked integrity and been a lousy husband to you - not really even deserving the title. I need to work on being a better man than I have been. But I don't think I can work to save our marriage and strengthen my integrity. It has just felt like we're too far gone." Lucas let out a sigh as he finished. He hated saying that. He had basically admitted that he'd been wrong for the past 7 years, or at least that he was now failing at what he had been fighting for for so long. No one wants to admit that.

But Lindsey nodded. A tear fell down her cheek, but she gave him a weak, sad smile. "I've been thinking I want to move to Boston. This week I have missed New England much more than I've missed you. I feel it's my home like Tree Hill is yours. I'm too broken and tired to fight for our marriage. I just want to heal and feel at home again." They were really connecting now. Despite the pain and a little bit of shame of not making it as they had set out to, they enjoyed the connection through the shared feeling that it really was over and it was time for the both of them to heal, be better than they had been and move on. So they looked at each other with love as to wish the other something better than they had managed together.

Their counselor looked at the two eyes wide open. No way were they going to have an easy divorce after an easy marriage.. It was not human. "Well, how do you feel?"

Lindsey turned to their counselor. Now that it was all out there she felt more empowered. "I met Lucas through his book about his ex-girlfriend Peyton. I fell in love with the way he was so passionate and caring for her character in the book I was editing. He was so meticulous in choosing the words to describe her in the book that he made me connect with her, too. It was like it was something so immense that even getting just side effects of that love and passion and connection was amazing. When we started a relationship I thought that maybe he could shift that all to me. I think I have been waiting and hoping for that all these years. But it never happened, in fact the opposite did. We became empty shells living life that looked good and didn't feel like anything." She was crying and even he had tears in his eyes.

"And I'm sorry and tired and hurt about all of it. But I just don't want that anymore." She turned towards Lucas. "I hope you'll find all those pieces of you that have been lost. I'll go to your house now to pack and book a flight. I hope we can take some time to heal first, before getting into the divorce process."

Lucas nodded. He rose and hugged her tight whispering "I'm sorry" before she left. He wiped his own tears and said goodbye and thank you to the counselor before leaving the office as well.

To his surprise Lindsey was right outside the building waiting for him. "We came with the same car." she answered to his questioning look. "Also, I wanted to talk about the arrangements. Could I have the house to myself while packing? I know it's your house, really, so I hate to ask, but I'm just not sure I can handle any distractions right now."

"Yeah. It's fine. Take the time you need. If you can drop me off at Nathan and Haley's. I'll just crash at theirs." Lindsey nodded and they walked to her car in silence. An era of safety and stability had come to an end. At this point there was nothing to say anymore.

It was a beautiful day and so Peyton had taken up Brooke's suggestion to have some girl time by Nathan and Haley's pool. She had had an early and efficient morning and would have some important meetings in the evening so a beautiful afternoon with her two best girl friends and some sweet tea sounded really awesome. Ellen was napping in the shades and the mothers had somehow managed to persuade Peyton's godchildren to play by themselves. It was just nice and peaceful.

"I know we see each other often, but it feels it's rare to have opportunities for girl heart-to-hearts like this so, how are you doing ?" Brooke said with a soft, little worried voice.

Peyton smiled at her best friend's caring. "I'm good, Brooke. Really. I've been doing awesome. I have family, friends, exciting work, great music.. I'd be crazy to be complaining."

Brooke and Haley looked at each other as if to weigh the best direction for the conversation.

"I don't know, a week and half ago when Lydia brought up your relationships, you didn't look that good. You know we're here for you, even if there is something to complain?" Haley continued.

Peyton thought for a moment. "I mean, yeah, I'm not gonna lie and say I didn't wish to have 'a daddy', too. I'm dating, who knows if someone comes along sometime. But I'm not going to force it. I don't want to do all that just because I should, but only if it feels right. I want what you both have and if I can't get it then I'll just enjoy life as I get it."

"Wait! What's 'a daddy'? Peyton you already have awesome Larry and rock star Mick, why would you want another dad?"

Haley and Peyton burst to such laughter that Brooke was sure it'd wake up Ellen. Luckily it didn't, but she had to wait annoyingly long for her two best friends to calm down enough to answer her legitimate question.

"In my daughter's language 'a daddy' means Nathan-type of amazing husband. We have tried to teach her to say husband instead, but she never uses it." Haley explained. Peyton was still holding her belly that was a little sore from the laughing.

"You know I'm proud of your attitude. You're way too awesome to settle and when things are right it will be so amazing. Just look at Brooke and Julian!" Haley continued. She thought back to Lucas and Lindsey. She had just learned the hard way that settling wasn't worth it. It was obvious Lucas didn't want anyone to know about what was going on with them, so she couldn't tell them, but she wanted to get the message across anyway.

Brooke nodded in agreement, but they changed the topic to a movie Julian was asked to direct and how Brooke struggled to have a clear opinion about it. It would be further away so they'd either have to be separated a lot or go with him and it was just all very complicated. The women couldn't really come up with any good solutions, but it was still great to get to share the issue and Peyton and Haley offered to help in anyway they could no matter what the Baker family decided to do.

They were about to move on to Haley's life when Peyton's cell phone rang.

"Hello?" She was a little annoyed by the distraction.

"Hi Peyton. It's Neil. I'm sorry, I hope I didn't interrupt anything."

"Uh, hi! No, it's okay. What's up?" Peyton was glad Brooke had only met Neil so briefly Brooke couldn't possibly figure out it was him, but just in case Peyton took the call further from her snooping best friends.

"Straight to the point, I have been hunting for a Carolina office and an apartment for me somewhere nearby and my agent has been showing me a lot of places basically between Tree Hill and Wilmington."

He paused for a moment and Peyton could hear him instructing someone in a distance to hold on for one minute. Seemed like he was busy.

"I found one of each that I really like, but the office is in Tree Hill and apartment in Wilmington. I know you have it like that, too, and I was just wondering how you found the distance?"

Even though they had talked about it and had worked together she had not expected that he'd ask her help. Then again, why not? It did make sense, it just took her by surprise.

"Oh, wow. That's great! Um, I think at times it would be easier to still live back here in Tree Hill so near the office. I don't really need to 'escape work' all the way to Wilmington like in other professions, like teaching you might not want to run in to work on your days off. But it suits my life to live further away. Besides our work can be so anywhere that in my experience it doesn't make much difference." She blushed as she noticed she was rambling a little.

On the other side of line someone was talking to Neil again. "Yeah, I thought so, thanks, I'm sorry to cut this so short, but I really have to go.. Thanks for your help, I'll try if I could get them."

"Yeah, no, it's okay. I hope you'll get good ones. Let me know how it goes!"

"Will do, laters!" Neil's hanging up sounded like he started to run at the same time.

Peyton returned to Brooke and Haley with an unintentional smile plastered on her face.

"Well, who's the guy?" Brooke asked eyes shining and Peyton immediately frowned.

"What do you mean?" playing dumb tactic often at least mellowed down unavoidable conversations when Brooke was in her girl-talk-obsessive state.

"I mean, who's the guy that got you smiling?" Brooke defined in a little mocking voice.

"Oh, the guy on the phone now?" Peyton knew they were going to have a long discussion about Neil and she certainly was not going to give Brooke the full satisfaction of it and join in her enthusiasm. Brooke and Haley nodded like they were five-year-olds and she was about to tell them how to go meet Santa already in November. "That was just Neil asking whether it's a pain to be living in Wilmington and have an office in Tree Hill."

The two squealed so loud that this time Ellen woke up to it. They got back to the business as soon as Brooke sat back down with her drowsy daughter curled up against her chest. "So what's going on with you and mr. Hottie?"

Peyton chuckled. "Nothing special. We're colleagues and friends." the two married women were still raising their eyebrows at her she added, "and I guess chances are we'll soon be almost neighbors."

"NOTHING SPECIAL! Peyton, he's So hot.. If I didn't have Julian and I was working with someone like him, there would totally be something." Brooke sounded like she was pleading.

Haley was much calmer. She smiled amusedly. "What about the friday-saturday night? Maybe it's just that I've been married for almost half of my life and lost touch of reality, but that sounded like something to me."

If possible, Brooke's eyes lit up even a little bit more. "What! What happened that night?"

"They played pool at Tric until 4 am and she ended up crashing at our place." Haley smiled.

"No way!" Brooke gasped. Then she frowned and slapped Peyton's arm softly. "If I didn't love you so friggin' much, we'd so not be best friends anymore. You have to tell me these things. I'm married and my name went from to Mom almost like overnight and I love it, but I need you to keep me on top of stuff like this."

Lindsey pulled over by Nathan and Haley's to drop Lucas off. They could hear girly laughter and squealing, no doubt Brooke, from the back yard so Lucas knew to go straight to the back without trying the front door first.

"Lucas!" Lindsey stopped him when he was closing the car door. She took off her engagement ring and handed it back to him. "It's Keith's ring. I'm sure he'd want you to have it. I think it shouldn't have been mine to begin with.. Goodbye Lucas!" She closed the door and drove off. Lucas held the ring in his hands smiled at it weakly, took his own ring off and tucked both of the rings safely to his pocket. Before making his way to the women in the backyard.

Peyton's phone rang just as Lucas joined the three women and the baby.

"Oh, it's Neil, I'll be back. Hi Luke!" she excused herself.

"What's up with her and the hot Neil?" Lucas asked hiding his left hand into his pocket and trying to make it sound unaffected.

"Neil's buying himself an office and home from here." Haley answered when she noticed that Brooke was too deep in her day dreams to pay attention to Lucas. "What are you doing here?"

Lucas was quiet for a while and then pulled on a sheepish smile. "I was wondering if I could stay here for a while.. Like the rest of the week?"

"Yeah, of course. You're always welcome here, but what's going on?"

Lucas checked that Brooke really wasn't paying any attention to them and briefly showed his left hand's naked ring finger to his best friend. "She's packing up and I promised to give her space."

Haley nodded. "We'll talk tonight and you can tell me everything." She turned back to the mother and baby next to her and snapped her fingers in front of Brooke's face "Earth to Brooke!"

It was obvious that Lucas wasn't ready for the others to know about it yet so it was best to change the subject. "What got you so deep in your thoughts you did not even notice Lucas appearing right next to you and talking to us?"

"Oh, hi Broody! Don't tell Peyton, cause she'd freak out but I was just thinking that Neil and 's babies would be so beautiful.. How cool would it be?"

"Brooke! You are way ahead of yourself!" Haley raised her voice a little by the shock of it. Lucas winced at the image. He had not seen Neil and had no idea what he looked like, but the mental image of Peyton having his children no matter how cute they were was not pleasurable to him.

"I know, I know. I just want her to be happy." Brooke defended herself stopping speaking just as Peyton, still on the phone got closer.

Peyton mouthed "he got them" to Brooke and Haley, who squealed, before listening in on what Peyton was saying to the phone.

"No, Eight sounds kind of early, would you be okay with nine?" Lucas, Brooke or Haley did not hear Neil, but apparently it was, since Peyton continued. "Great, pick me up on Monday at 9. See you then!"

Lucas knew now exactly what it must have been like for Peyton when she still loved him and he was with Lindsey. It was still the same day he had separated from his wife and here he was jealous over a girl he had rejected seven years ago. It was so wrong he would have slapped himself for it. Seemed like he had a long way to go for finding that best version of himself he had made his mission to find and be.

A/N: Thanks for reading! That was chapter 6. It was tough to write and I'm feeling kind of lost with it. I know the bigger arc of the story, but I'm trying to figure out what to do for next chapter. So if you have anything you'd want, let me know. And anyway, I'm very interested in hearing what you think. So please review!

ps. I updated a new chapter to my first story Would You Be My Brother? on Sunday. It's categorized to Peyton and Nathan, because it's a Leyton, Naley with a corner stone in Pathan friendship, but it's very Leyton, AU, though. Anyway, check it out if you're interested. I have the next chapter of that half way through and I'm very excited to get to share it with you, so most likely that will be my next update, but I aim to have a new chapter to both stories by the end of next week at latest.