No Happy Ending or Maybe So

Chapter 23 Six Months Later

After Julie had overheard that Lucas was her father things had changed drastically. She still had a hard time calling him daddy, but she never wanted to be away from him. He spent many days and nights at Peyton's new home. He didn't mind but sometimes it made Peyton uncomfortable, but she owed Lucas time with his daughter.

Lexie had moved to Tree Hill with Peyton. It was the best thing that she ever did. Brooke gave her a job at the store, and Peyton let her have her own room in her house. Everything seemed almost perfect. She and Lucas had a lot of conversations and although she loved Julian and Peyton together she was growing fonder of the idea of Lucas and Peyton. She thought that Lucas was a good guy and a great father.

Haley had given birth to a healthy baby girl, Emma Grace Scott. She had coal black hair and beautiful brown eyes. She was the spitting image of her mother and had already stolen her daddy's heart.

Peyton was now eight months almost nine months pregnant, and the doctors believed that she would give birth soon. It was all bittersweet for Peyton. She couldn't wait to be a mom again, but she was devastated that Julian wouldn't be there for her.

Things had gotten better for her over the six months. She knew that she had to move on and stay strong for her kids, and she planned on being the best mom possible.

Brooke and Haley had insisted on giving Peyton a baby shower. She had gotten more than enough things for her baby's arrival.

After the baby shower Lucas had insisted on helping Peyton set up the baby's room. Lucas had become a big help to Peyton.

Just like he had promised he would be……

Flashback:

Peyton is in her living room looking at pictures of Julie and Brody. Lucas comes down the stairs. He looks completely exhausted. "Julie is finally asleep. I had to read to her like ten times."

"She was just using you buddy. You have to stop at eight." She smiled. Things between her and Lucas were getting better. They were friends, and Peyton had finally forgiven him for breaking her heart.

"I know, but I can't resist her puppy dog eyes." Lucas admitted that his daughter was his weakness. "What ya looking at?" He sat down beside her.

"Julie and Brody…God they grow up so fast," she said as she rubbed her stomach.

"Yeah," Lucas nodded.

"Oh…." Peyton moaned.

"What's wrong?" he got nervous.

"The baby is kicking. I think she is going to be a soccer player." Peyton rubbed her stomach. Lucas smiled. He didn't know that she was having a girl. He looked at her. "I'm having a girl."

"Wow Peyton that's great. Julie is going to love that."

"Yeah well I want it to be a surprise so don't say anything."

"I wouldn't dream of it." He stood up from the couch, "I want you to know that I'm happy for you Peyton, and I wish that Julian could be here to experience this with you."

"I know me too," she agreed.

"I can't bring him back for you, but I can be the man that you need me to be. I want to be apart of this child's life. I want to help you with this Peyton. If you will let me I'm here for you," he told her.

She smiled, "I'd like that."

Peyton was knocked out of her trance with the lights started to flicker. "Oh great," she moaned. "Lucas," she screamed.

"I'm right here. I'm getting some candles okay. Stay where you are."

"Okay," she sighed. She absolutely hated bad weather. "Maybe I should call Brooke and check on the kids," she yelled. The kids had wanted to stay with their Aunt Brooke. Peyton said yes but she didn't like them being away from her when the weather was bad.

Lucas walked into the nursery holding a candle, "The kids are fine Peyton."

"You don't know that."

"Brooke would have called if they weren't. Besides it's not like we can go get them."

"Why not?" she asked worried.

"The streets are flooded," he informed her. "It looks like we're stuck."

"Great," she sighed. She sat down on one of the chairs in the room, "I'm starving."

"You just ate," he saw the look on her face. She was very hormonal. "I can go see if you have something to eat."

"Thank you," she gave him the eye.

He came back into the room a few minutes later with a sandwich and chips. "How's this?"

"Thank you," she grabbed the plate.

"No problem, I'm good at fixing sandwiches," he laughed.

"I don't mean just for the sandwich Luke. I mean for everything. You really have been here for me the past few months. Thanks," she took a bite out of her sandwich.

"I'd do anything for you Peyton."

Peyton had finished her sandwich, and they had worked in the nursery for a few hours. Peyton wanted everything to be perfect for the arrival of her third child.

Once it got late both Lucas and Peyton went to bed. Lucas took the spare bedroom, and Peyton resided in her bed. In a way it killed Lucas to think of Peyton being in the other room without him, but he was okay as long as he knew that she was okay.

Around three o' clock that morning Lucas was awakened by screams and shrills coming from Peyton's bedroom. It scared him to death. He jumped up from his bed and ran to her room. She was on the floor holding her stomach.

"Peyton oh my God are you okay?"

She yelled at him, "Damn it Lucas does it look like I'm okay? I'm having my baby."

He froze.

"LUCAS," she yelled.

"Um are you sure?" he was dumbfounded.

"Yes I'm sure. This isn't my first ballgame. I know when I'm in labor," she yelled. He was beginning to piss her off. It was not a good thing to piss off a pregnant Peyton.

"Okay the roads are flooded," he was in panic mode.

"Thanks for the weather report Lucas. Call Ethan," she demanded.

"Okay," he pulled out his cell phone. "Damn it," he yelled.

"What?"

"My phone doesn't have service." He told her. She screamed again. "Let me check yours."

"Lucas there isn't much time. This baby is coming. She's coming Lucas," she looked at Lucas with pain and hope in her eyes.

"I don't what to do Peyton," he was so scared. He didn't know how to deliver a baby.

"I'll talk you through it Lucas, but you're gonna have to do this."

"Okay um let me see if the house phone works," he wasn't prepared to deliver her child. He wasn't prepared to go through that experience with her. He picked up the house phone and to his disappointment it was dead. "Damn," he then picked up her phone, and it also had no service.

Peyton screamed again, and Lucas knew that he was going to have to help her deliver her baby.

"I'm scared Peyton," he told her.

Through the pain she was able to find a smile, "I know you're scared Luke. I'm scared too, but we have each other, and as long as we do this together my little girl is going to be fine."

He shook his head, "Okay….I can do this Peyton," he tried to reassure himself.

"I know Lucas. I believe in you. After all you were always able to save me," she smiled, and then screamed. "Help me get back in the bed okay."

He did exactly what he was told. He was nervous, but he knew that he had to do this for Peyton and her unborn child.

Peyton continued to talk him through everything. He encouraged her, let her yell at him, and helped her deliver her beautiful baby girl.

Peyton didn't hear her cry at first, and she began to worry. "Lucas is she okay?"

All of the sudden she heard her daughter crying, "She's perfect Peyton. She is absolutely perfect."

He wiped tears away from his face. "She's beautiful Peyton." It was the most emotional moment of his life. He was able to help Peyton bring her daughter into the world. Everything felt perfect at that very moment.

Peyton had tears in her eyes, "Oh God…you're okay….thank God you're okay."

Lucas handed Peyton her beautiful daughter.

"Oh wow, you are my little angel Lucy Elizabeth Baker. Mama loves you," Peyton cried.

Lucas' heart dropped into his stomach when he heard the name Peyton had given her daughter. He was the proudest he had ever been in that moment.

AN: Okay so there is chapter 23. I decided to speed it up a little bit. I hope you guys enjoyed it. I wasn't that satisfied with this chapter, but after writing it over and over I decided to go with this one.

There will either be one or two more chapters. I'm not sure how I'm going to write it, but the end is coming soon.

I wanted to thank all of you guys for reviewing and subscribing to this story. It means so much to me. I have had a blast writing and working on it, and I hope you guys have enjoyed it too.

Oh and there is a reason why she named her Lucy that will be explained in the next chapter.