AN/Ok I know I have confused a few people and I'm sorry so here is a quick summary:
Lucas was raised by Karen and Dan wasn't around like in the show but when Karen found out that Amy was pregnant she and Lucas had a huge fight and they stopped talking. Dan is now nice and supportive of his sons (shock)
Izzie is Luke's daughter and is 13 years old. Amy is Izzie's Mum and is ill (you'll find out what is wrong with her in this chapter) Peyton is a close friend of the family and was sent by Amy to tell Lucas about her condition.
Luke hasn't seen Izzie in 6 years and she hates him for it.
Brooke isn't that important so don't worry about her. Nate and Haley are still Luke's friend and they still had James. You will also find out what decision Luke was faced with in this chapter too. Anything else you are still confused about just ask and I'll happily explain.
Disclaimer: I don't own One Tree Hill or any of the characters associated with it. The characters that you don't recognise are of my imagination. I also don't own Yellowcard and their song Down On My Head either.
I rubbed my pounding head slowly and turned to Peyton. She covered her mouth in an attempt to stop laughing at me.
"…Ok firstly what is wrong with Amy?"
"She was diagnosed with lung cancer four years ago but it's getting worse" She explained, looking away. My heart skipped a beat at the news that Amy has cancer. Cancer kills and she could… I stopped that thought.
"How… bad?" I stuttered, trying to calm myself.
"Bad. She has Non-small cell lung cancer, Adenocarcinoma which was in the stage IB when they found it but she couldn't have surgery because she wasn't strong enough" She took a deep breath and I watched as she wringed her fingers together nervously. "It went away for a while but it's come back and is getting worse it's now in stage IIB… Look she's giving up, talking about death and all she wants is for you to look after Izzie"
I took a deep breath and sat on the counter. "This cant be happing… damn those cigarettes!" I snapped. Peyton just regarded me silently. In the fourteen years I have known Amy she has always smoked at least five or six cigarettes a day. I guess she started smoking more over the years. I sat forward and lent my elbow against my thigh before resting my head in my hand. Images of Amy lying in a hospital with numerous machines connected to her invaded my head.
"What about Jack?" I asked, suddenly remembering that Amy is married to a fool called Jack, who I nicknamed Jackass. Peyton laughed and shook her head.
"They got divorced three years ago but he comes around a lot to check on Amy. He won't look after Izzie" I cursed under my breath at the Jackass' actions as I jumped off the counter and walked over to the door. Izzie is still sitting on my sofa watching the music channels.
"She needs you Lucas" Peyton said from behind me. I looked over my shoulder and saw her standing close behind me.
I pulled into the large mansion like house driveway and parked the car. My younger brother Nathan, Jamie my nephew and Dan all were standing around a basketball post, each with a ball in their hands.
"Uncle Luke!" James called as he dropped the ball and ran over to me. I laughed and scooped him up into a bear hug. Jamie has just turned five and like his father loves basketball.
"Hello son" Dan greeted as I joined him and Nathan.
"Dan" Even though Dan Scott is my father I never actually call him Dad. I suppose you wouldn't either if for the first sixteen years of your life your Dad never accepted that you existed.
"Hey, Luke" Nathan greeted with a smile. I smiled back and saw someone waving frantically from the living room.
I laughed and waved back. "Hey Hales" I let Jamie return to the game that they were playing and walked into the house to talk to Haley, my best friend of twenty three years.
"Why the long face? Did you and Brooke have another fight?" She asked as she joined me at the dinning room table.
"Yes… but that's beside the point. Izzie is town" Haley eyes grew wide and I explained the morning's events to her. She sat silently and waited until I finished before asking questions.
"Are you going to look after her?"
"I don't know what to do" Haley sighed and put her hand on mine.
"What about this Peyton woman?" She asked after a silence feel on us.
"Who's Peyton?" Nathan interrupted as he joined us. I rolled me eyes and him and turned back to Haley.
"She is just a friend of the family I think. She said Amy wants me to look after Izzie"
"Wait! Amy wants you to look after Izzie?" Nathan interrupted again.
"Who has to look after Izzie?" Dan asked as he and Jamie walked into the living room too. Jamie let go off Dan's hand and ran across the room to watch TV. I sighed, knowing I have to explain everything again.
"Izzie and a woman named Peyton arrived at my house this morning to tell me that Amy has lung cancer and she wants me to look after Izzie" Both Nathan and Dan grew silent for a moment.
"You know what you have to do son" Dan spoke up first. I didn't reply.
"I can't believe she wants you to look after her now after everything she's done!" Nathan snapped. He isn't a big Amy fan and never has been even when we were dating.
"Well let's go then" Dan stood up and called Jamie over.
"Go where?" I asked.
"My Granddaughter is in town and I want to see her" Was his only reply. Nathan and Haley both stood, nodding in agreement. I didn't have much choice but to follow them as they all climbed into Dan's SUV and made their way to my apartment. I had a feeling that this won't go down well.
I actually managed to get home before the others so I quickly entered the apartment to at least warn Izzie that the family that she hasn't seen in seven years, or never met in Jamie's case where arriving momentarily. Both Peyton and Izzie who are sat on my sofa watching TV and looked up at me as I burst through the door but before I could even open my mouth Dan interrupted me.
"Where's my Granddaughter?" Dan said as he walked past me. Izzie looked up at me with raised eyebrows before regarding Dan. Nathan, Haley and Jamie followed suite.
"My God you have grown" Dan complimented. Izzie smirked at his comment and stood up, holding out her hand.
"Hi Dan" I was actually surprised she remembers who he is and is being nice. But I guess him calling her his Granddaughter helped. Dan chuckled and pulled her into a hug. When he let go I saw him slip 10 dollars into Izzie hand before turning to Peyton.
"And you must be Peyton" Dan continued as he held his hand out to Peyton. She smiled at him and shook it while Nathan moved over to Izzie.
"Hello, Izzie" Izzie regarded him before holding out her hand.
"You must be Nathan. You have the same eyes as Lucas" Nathan laughed and nodded, shaking her hand.
"And this is my wife Haley and our son Jamie" Haley smiled and pulled Izzie into a hug.
"Whoa you got big. Last time I saw you you was a bump" Izzie joked as she greeted a shy Jamie. He hid behind Nathan's leg but shook Izzie's out stretched hand any way.
"A little heads up would be nice" Peyton whispered as he stood beside me.
I turned to her and laughed. "I tried" She rolled her eyes at me and smiled over at Izzie who is talking to Haley.
"It's nice to finally meet them all in the flesh, pictures don't really help but Jamie is so cute" I frowned at her wondering how she got pictures of Jamie since I never sent Izzie any.
"How did you see picture. I never sent any?"
"You don't but Dan does. He always sends pictures with his presents" Peyton explained before walking over to Izzie. I suddenly felt so betrayed. Dan never once told me that he sent Izzie presents, if he still does. I looked over at him and watched as he talked to Peyton and Izzie happily. Anger bubbled in my chest.
I waited until Dan was alone before I pounced on him.
"Why didn't you tell me you are keeping in contact with Izzie behind my back Dan?"
He turned around to face me and shook his head in amusement. I just annoyed me more.
"Calm down son. Just because you don't keep in contact with your daughter doesn't mean I have to too" And with that he walked back into the house. I watched the new fatherly and supportive Dan Scott in amazement.
Flashback
Bouncing the ball once more I take a deep breath and take a shot. It went in effortlessly and a wash of relief took hook hold of me. At least basketball hasn't changed I thought to myself.
"Lucas" I turned to see Dan Scott watching me from the bench. Great I thought to myself this is all I need.
"What do you want Dan!" I snapped.
"I want to talk to you about Amy being pregnant"
"It has nothing to do with you! You lost your right to tell me what to do when you abandoned me and my Mum!"
He took a step closer. "I'm not here to argue with you Lucas. I just want to know your intentions towards this unborn child" I couldn't believe what I am hearing. I slammed the ball on the ground angrily and turned on him.
"You mean do I plan on getting it aborted like you wanted my Mum to do with me? Well no I don't! I will raise this child on my own if I have to because I refuse to turn into you Dan!" I yelled at him, ready for his retaliation but he just chuckled and nodded his head.
"I'm proud of you son" He said before walking away.
End of Flashback
That was the first time he ever called me son and the begging of the man he is today which isn't that bad really. It is better then the man who abandoned me for the first sixteen years of my life and only started to acknowledge that I existed when I joined the varsity basketball team. He just gives me the creeps sometimes.
I walked into my room quietly later that day after Dan, Haley, Nathan and Jamie left and opened the wardrobe door in search of an old sneaker box that I haven't opened in a long time.
I found it hiding right at the back and pulled it out before leaving my room and sitting on the sofa. I took a deep breath and pulled off the lid to reveal my prized possessions. Izzie's things. Her hospital tag, an old pacifier, a few baby vests, numerous pictures and the one thing that makes my heart break every time I see it. The first ever teddy bear she was given. The one I brought her.
I gingerly took the bear out of the box and looked it over. It is a dark brown colour with beady eyes and a red bow around its next, just like any other teddy. Images of a younger Izzie flashed through my mind and I closed my eyes to welcome them.
Flashback
"Izzie… come on!" I cooed as I got onto my knees and held out my arms. A thirteen month old Izzie stood holding onto my coffee table, smiling beautifully.
"Come on baby girl" I encouraged as I held my arms out wider. I have been trying to get her to walk for the last month now and I have a feeling today is the day she will do it.
She removed one of her hands from the table but stayed put at first before taking a step and then another until she attempted to walk to me. My heart leapt into my throat afraid that she will fall and hurt herself but I still felt giddy that she is taking her first steps alone. She wobbled and held her chubby little hands out to me and with one last step she reached me without falling. I laughed and scooped her up into a bear hug and spun her around. She laughed happily…
End of Flashback
My eyes snapped opened when I remembered what also happened that day. I tried to force it out of my head, tried to get rid of the ache in my chest but it didn't help. The memory still forced its way in.
Flashback
Izzie laughed happily. She always loved it when I spun her around but someone knocked on the door interrupting our happy moment. I put Izzie onto my hip and walked over to the front door. I wish I never opened it because on the other side stood Amy and a tall, thin man with black hair and glasses. I smirked at his appearance and turned back to Amy.
"Oh my baby!" Amy exclaimed as she held out her arms for Izzie but Izzie wrapped her chubby little arms around my neck and tried to bury her head into my neck. I pulled her tiny form closer to me. Amy didn't like this one bit and folded her arms across her chest angrily. What did she expect? I thought to myself. She hasn't seen Izzie in eight months she was bound to forget what Amy looked like.
"What are you doing here Amy and who is your friend?" I asked referring to the nerdy looking man.
"I'll get straight to the point then. I want my daughter"
"No" I replied immediately, tightening my hold on my daughter.
"You can't deny me my daughter Lucas"
"I can until you get better" I argued. Amy suffered postnal depression a month after Izzie was born and it got so bad that Amy refused to go near Izzie and cried all the time. So I thought it was best if she moved in with her parents while I looked after Izzie.
"I am better that is why I'm here. I want my daughter" Amy replied sternly. Izzie started to complain and whine in my arms. I rocked her gently.
"Amy-"
"No Lucas. Look I met someone else while I was in New Jersey. This is Jack" She introduced. The nerdy looking man, Jack held him hand out to me. I scoffed at him and shoved his hand away not believing the nerve of this guy. What a jackass I though as I laughed. Izzie started to complain louder and wiggle in my arms.
"Look this is upsetting Izzie can we do this another time" I tried to explain.
"No! look Lucas I have tried to be civil about this but you give me no choice. You either give Izzie to me and you can visit her on her birthday and so forth or I take her and you will never see her again" I froze at Amy's harsh words and after regarding her I knew she is serious.
End of Flashback
So I did what I thought was best even though either way I looked at it I loose. Izzie walked into the living room then and her eyes grew wide at the sight of me. I realised that I was still holding her teddy and stood up but she walked out of the room again without a single word or a backwards glance. I sighed deeply and sat back down.
AN/ I hope I cleared everything up for you. Lucas' decision was to give his daughter over or never see her again. Harsh I know. By the way the nice Dan kinda creeps me out too lol.
Reviews and Suggestions welcome.
Deanie