Peyton roughly ran her hands through her hair only to have strands of it get caught in her wedding ring. She studied the ring, smiling softly when she recognized it as her mother's. A thought suddenly occurred, did really want to leave and add this to her list of regret? It was no plan and simple. Not telling Lucas she loved him was eating her up inside and one of the main reasons to pack her bags and moved to New York- calling everyone in Tree Hill once in a while and visiting during the holidays.
The first reason being that she didn't have to watch him date, the second- you know the saying out of sight out mind well that worked some days. Peyton plopped down on the empty couch and turned her attention to her guide who was sitting on the arm of a chair tapping an imaginary wristwatch. She frowned, un amused, it was decision time. She closed her eyes taking a deep breath before approaching the woman. "I'll... stay" she whispered meekly.
Peyton's guide expression was no longer angry, but surprisingly happy. She shifted her body and sat correctly in the chair. "Finally, a decision you won't regret". She put her hands to the side of face in shock. "That's a first in six years"! She exclaimed, teasing Peyton.
"Hey"! Peyton yelled offended, she folded her arms. "They are a lot of things I don't regret"!
"Man, you must lie a lot...for a second there I almost believe you". Smirking she got up from the chair to get ready to send Peyton back to the alternate universe. "Peyton don't take this for granted and learn your lesson".
"What lesson"?
"You'll see soon... enough and I'll be here to help".
Peyton nodded and a question popped into head. "What...are their names" she nervously.
She furrowed her brow in confusion, a few seconds later she realized what Peyton was talking about. "Oh, your kids"?
"Yeah"!
"Ian Keith and Anna Elizabeth".
Peyton smiled, she loved the names. "So" she said looking around the empty living room. "How do I get out of here"?
She touched Peyton's shoulder. "Wake up" she commanded.
Peyton slowly opened her eyes and groaned. Her head was still hurting and fainting had only made it a lot worse. She realized someone had moved her from the floor to the couch.
"Does anything hurt" someone asked.
She rolled her eyes, she knew that voice. "No, Nathan I'm groaning in pain for the fun it! Some things never changed, even in an alternate universe" she thought. "Where is everyone" she asked noticing her and Nathan were the only ones in the living room.
He helped her sit up. "Haley took the kids upstairs and Lucas went to call the doctor again. Do you remember what happened"?
She sat there for a minute trying to remember what everyone was saying before she fainted from the shock and dizziness. "Yeah... the kids were telling Lucas about the zoo and Anna she said something about you getting them ice cream when Haley wasn't around and..."she trailed off trying to remember once again. "Oh, she said you told them not to tell anybody"!
Nathan looked at her nervously she had remembered. Peyton had been very strict on the whole no sweets or caffeine before dinner after the ice coffee incident he had caused. But Haley had gone to buy souvenirs and Anna had begged, sticking out her bottom lip and tears filling up in her little blue eyes. Yes he was weak and had given in. "I don't know what your talking about...that didn't happen".
"Liar" she thought, Peyton started to glare at him and he was looking more nervous by the minute.
"Uh... why don't I go get Lucas" and with that he rushed out the living room and into the den. He returned a few minutes later with an almost frantic Lucas.
"Hey" he said kneeling beside her and looking into her green eyes. "Are you alright"?
She smiled at him, loving the way he was looking at her. Peyton couldn't help herself so she ran her fingers through the back of his hair. "I'm fine...I just got dizzy earlier and right now my head is a little sore. But I'll take an aspirin".
He started to object but she put her finger to his lips. "I'm okay... I promise".
Lucas kissed her forehead still worried. She had hit her head twice in one day but she seemed better than she was after she had fallen off the step stool. Maybe she didn't have a concussion after all. "My mom and Caitlin are coming over for dinner, you still up for that"?
"Yeah, Nathan and Haley can stay for dinner too, stop worrying".
He cupped her face. "I can't help it...you scared me today. I love you Peyt".
She managed to smile even though her heart was breaking and melting at the same time. "I love you too Lucas" she hugged him. "Why didn't I tell him before" she asked herself.
"You guys that's so sweet" They heard someone sniffled. They turned their heads and saw Haley standing next to Nathan crying into a Kleenex.
Peyton looked at Haley's slightly bulged stomach and remembered Haley had called her four months ago announcing she was pregnant. "Hormones" she thought shaking her head.
She got up from the couch and hugged Haley trying keep from laughing. "I going to check on the kids and make sure I didn't traumatize them". She took her time walking up the stairs and following the kids' voices to find the room they where in. She spotted James first he was walking out of what appeared to be the playroom.
"James" she exclaimed hugging the six year old boy. "You've gotten so big"!
"Aunt Peyton" he whined try to free himself from the hug- he wasn't the hugging type apparently. "You always say that"!
"Sorry kid but I can't help it"! She let him go and he headed down the stairs. She looked into the room and saw her and Luke's children playing. They were the perfect combination of her and Lucas. She entered the room nervously. "What are guys doing"?
"Mommy"! They both exclaimed running over to her and hugging her legs. When they let go she bended down to their level, Ian was the first to speak.
"Mommy are you feeling better now" the little boy asked.
She looked at her son; he looked so much like Lucas when he was worried. "I'm feeling much better Ian" she played with his hair.
"We're glad you're feeling better Mommy" Anna declared.
Peyton hugged both of her children and gave them a kiss on their foreheads. "Let's go downstairs".
They enter the living room she holding the twins' hands. She saw Lucas asking Nathan and Haley what they wanted for dinner.
"Do you guys want pizza"?
"Pizza" Peyton asked interrupting them. "Why don't I just cook something" she said figuring that she could put all the cooking lessons she had taken with Lindsay to good use. Peyton looked at them; they were looking at her like she had two heads.
"Peyton how hard did you hit your head" Nathan asked laughing he stopped when Haley slapped him on the arm.
"Excuse me" she asked offended, with her hands on hips.
"Peyton, do you remember our senior year of high school when you made me chocolate cookies"? Lucas asked.
"Vaguely" she said lying; she didn't know what he was talking about.
"You used a handful of salt in the cookies, thinking it was dash".
Peyton didn't know how to respond to this and suddenly out of now where she had an answer. "You said that was the best cookie you ever had"!
He moved closer to her smirking coyly. "Well I was eating the cookie dough off you at the time"!
"Hey" Haley shouted at Lucas. "There are children in the room"!
The adults looked at the kids; they had turned on the TV and were watching it.
"I'm going prove you guys wrong" and with that Peyton stomped off to the kitchen.
"So who wants to take bets" Nathan asked Lucas and Haley.
A/N: Thanks for helping me pick out names and reviewing. Please let know what you liked most about this chapter. Oh, if you didn't figure it out Caitlin is Luke's sister. Also Peyton's guide helped her out with the cookie question.