A/N; oh my gosh. I am so sorry it has taken over 2 weeks to update! But, on may 31st, my grandmother died. I was EXTREMELY close to her, as her and my grandfather live beside us. It was completely the BIGGEST shock, of my life. I was out with my friends, eating supper, and my dad called me and told me I needed to get home NOW. So I took off, and when I got about 5 minutes from the house, he told me to go my grandparent's, so I said okay. when I pulled in, and saw that my grandmother's car wasn't there, and a sherrif's car was, I knew it was bad, really bad. So I basically COLLAPSED into my dad's arms when he met me at the gate, and I heard my papa say "she's gone" and I saw my mom crying and my papa crying nad my dad holding me &even the sherrif had a few tears. I have lost a lot of close people in my life, including my other grandmother, but this is honeslty the worst thing I have EVER experienced. But my friends have been ABSOLUTELY amazing, no matter when it is, if I need htem, they're there for me. Even at 3 in the morning when I wake up crying, when I need a hug, their just incredible. So this chapter goes out to my AMZING friends who have helped me SO much; Annie, Maygen, Danielle, Sheena, and Amy. Thank you guys SO much for all you've done.
And to those who reviewed, you know who you are. Thanks so much!
2 days later…
"I see you finally got rid of your husband." The same nurse from 2 days ago chuckled, as she entered the room and saw Peyton by herself.
"Yeah yeah, I was about to go stir crazy. Growing up as an only child, I'm used to my 'me' time, and every time I even flinched Lucas was asking me if was okay, or if I needed anything." Peyton replied, not correcting the fact that the nurse called Lucas her husband, after all, they were getting married in a couple months, and Peyton never tired of hearing people him her husband..
"Lucas, babe, I appreciate you being here, like, 24 hours a day and all, but seriously. Go home. Shower. Check messages, get your laptop, and come back. I love you for being here, but, I like my ME time ya know." Peyton said, pleading with Lucas.
"I know, but, I don't want to miss something! I mean, what if you like, your back itches and you can't reach it? Or if you feel the baby kick and I'm not here?" Lucas said, picking up her hand.
"Luke. Honey, the baby is like a tadpole or something right now, he doesn't even have legs. And besides, see this little nifty invention?" Peyton said, picking up a back scratcher, "is amazing at scratching your back. And besides, Haley said she was going to come by after she picked up Jamie from school, so if you leave now, she'll be here in like 20 minutes, that will give me some alone time and then she'll still be here when you get back." Peyton said.
"fiiiiiine. But. If anything happens, make sure you buzz for the nurse to come in here, and call my cell, and I'll be here in like 2 seconds flat. And don't go anywhere!" Lucas said, making sure he was understood.
"Yeah, right, I'm going to get up and go to bush gardens just as SOON as you leave, since the broken leg and arm and ribs and every other broken bone or crushed organ isn't going to slow me down." Peyton said, while rolling her eyes.
"Not funny." Lucas simply stated.
"NOW LEAVE!" Peyton practically screamed.
"You're going to be a great mom. You've got the 'strict mom' down pat already."
"HEY!" Peyton screeched, as she tried to find something to throw at him.
"Okay, okay. I'll be back in a little while. I love you. And you," Lucas said, as he patted Peyton's stomach, "be good for your mom." Lucas said as he kissed her good-bye.
"Love you too." Peyton responded as Lucas walked out the door, feeling a smile comes across her face as Lucas mentioned their unborn child.
She had had many different nurses, with day shifts and night shifts, but this nurse was her favorite. She always made cute remarks about how Lucas was always around, and she kept her mouth shut when people brought in other food, when Peyton was supposed to have strictly 'blah' food as Peyton called it, not the greasy cheeseburgers and milkshakes from Cookout that she had been 'craving'. Lucas was pretty strict with her at first about eating only healthy foods, but all Peyton would have to do is say 'the baby wants this' or 'the baby wants that' and Lucas was on it.. 'To help your body adjust to coping without your spleen, you need to eat these certain foods.' the nutritionist said, regarding the 'blah' food. Plus, she brought Peyton extra chocolate pudding. Now, the hospital food sucked royally, but the chocolate pudding was outstanding. And you better not even think about taking a bite of it either.
"You better be glad you woke up, let me tell you. That boy was going crazy without you. I'd come in and he'd be in the exact same spot as when I left. And I don't know how in the world he slept in that uncomfortable chair, but he managed somehow." The nurse said, recalling to coming in multiple times finding Lucas by her side, holding her hand, waiting for her to wake up.
"Awh, that's sweet. I guess you obviously know my name, but I feel kinda bad that I don't know yours..." Peyton said.
"it's Jessica," the nurse said, "and I guess you missed that day in school when they taught you to read..," Jessica said as she pointed to the whiteboard above her head, where in big red letters it wrote 'today your nurse is JESSICA.'
"Oh! Oopsie! Guess I totally missed that. Has that been there the WHOLE time?" Peyton said, as she felt completely dumb.
"Yupp!" the nurse said, as she chuckled
Meanwhile, at Lucas' house
'You have 23 new voicemail's the answering machine told Lucas, as he sighed out loud. Lucas laid down his coat, keys, and phone on the back of their leather sofa. 'first message, sent yesterday at 3:49 pm' the machine said, followed by "hey coach, it's Ryan, well the whole team really. I, FINE Jeremy I'll say the whole team! Gah, anyway, WE just wanted to say I hope Miss Sawyer feels better, and that practice went good today. Good grief, Coach Taylor and Nathan ran the freaking crap outta us. Anyway. Tell her to get better soon. See ya later-YES Jeremy I said WE! Bye!" Lucas just had to chuckle, as he could hear the whole team in the background telling him what to say.
'Next new message, sent yesterday at 5:35 pm' 'LUCAS! I don't' know what's going on, but, I need that last chapter YESTERDAY! I'm telling you Lucas, they're ready to cut this whole book.. I need that chapter." Lucas heard Lindsay's voice yelling into the machine. He also knew that the company loved him and his books, and they wouldn't cut the book. 'so much for attempting to scare me, Lindsay' Lucas muttered to himself, as he moved into the bedroom, while the messages kept playing.
'next new message, sent yesterday at 9:43 pm' Hey Peyton! it's Mia. SO, I know you're still in the hospital, and you won't get this message for a while… but maybe Lucas will tell you… why don't I just call your cell phone? Hmm. I don't know. Anyway, I'm still on tour and we just wanted to say hey and all… but I'm telling this to a machine, anyway, so , um, HI! Get better soon. Love ya chica!" Lucas just had to chuckle at Mia's message, as he gathered up his laptop and put it into his brief case.
Back at the hospital
"Alright Jimmy-Jam, now when we see aunt Peyton, she might be asleep, so we have to be quiet, okay?" Haley told her son, as they walked down the hallway.
"Alright mama." The 5 year old responded.
"Knock-knock!" the brunette called out as she opened the door. "We just thought we'd stop by and see-" Haley's sentence was cut short as she saw the empty bed. She turned around and checked the door to make sure she had the right room. "P. Sawyer, room 229" the door read.
"Where's aunt Peyton mama?" Jamie asked.
"I don't know honey, she is supposed to be here, and I know she hasn't been discharged yet, because she told me that they hadn't finished running tests' yet. Let me call uncle Lucas and find out where she is." Haley responded, as she pulled out her phone and held down the number 4 button. 'c'mon Lucas, answer your freaking phone!' Haley mumbled to herself, as the phone continued to ring and ring.
"Hi! You've reached Lucas Scott. I can't answer the phone right now, but if you'll leave your name, number, and a brief message I'll call you back as soon as I can. Thank you!' Haley heard Lucas' voicemail, and then she left her own message.
'Lucas, it's Haley. Look, I'm here at the hospital to see Peyton, and she isn't in her room, and I know you said for me to come by and keep her entertained while you ran home, sooooo.. where is she? Call me back asap, it's like she vanished from her bed." Haley said, as she hung up the phone. She immediately tried calling him back, but he still didn't answer.
Lucas was stepping out of the shower, freshly bathed and freshly shaven, when he heard his phone ringing. As he ran to catch his phone, he barely had time to wrap a towel around himself. After a little, 'misunderstanding' of Lucas thinking that Peyton was home alone, and he was going to 'surprise', her, when really Peyton and Nathan were talking over some drinks, Lucas ALWAYS grabbed a towel if he had to go out of the bedroom after a shower. Unfortunately, his phone had quit ringing by the time he got to the living room. He picked up his iPhone, and saw 12 missed calls, all from Haley. Immediately, his heart sunk. As he called her back, he started thinking of all the things that could have gone wrong. Peyton could have slipped back into a coma. Or something could have happened to the baby. Nobody else knew about it yet, Peyton wanted to wait until she was at home before they told everybody. Lucas was interrupted from his thoughts, as Haley screamed into the phone.
"LUCAS! Where the *heck have you been!?" Haley practically screamed at him.
"I was taking a-," as Lucas realized, it really didn't matter what he was doing; "it doesn't matter. What's wrong?" Lucas asked, with concern all over his voice.
"She's GONE!" Haley said, and then realized how that sounded. "Well, not dead gone, she's just, missing!"
"Wait! What do you mean, missing?" Lucas asked, still not fully understanding what was going on.
"I MEAN, I walk in the door, there's a bed, no Peyton!" Haley said, sarcastically. "She's not with you?" Haley asked.
"No! Peyton just sent me home to shower and get some stuff, and I was in the shower when you left me 49 voicemails. And I didn't really want to come, but she refused to kiss me with my stubble and she said I stunk, so I just left like 20 minutes ago. Where could she go Hales?"
"Gee Luke, there's only so many places you can go with a broken freaking leg! Now get your scrawny as- butt over here and find your fiancé! I mean who knows?! For all we know, psycho stalker Derek-Ian could be back!" Haley said in desperation.
"Mama? Who's si-ko-walker Derek?" Jamie asked.
"Sweetie, he was a very mean man that tried to hurt aunt Peyton." Haley responded, as she heard Lucas sigh on the other end of the line.
"Oh, okay. Well if he tries to hurt her again, I'll punch him in the face!" Jamie said, as he made a fist out of his little hand.
"Ya year that Luke? Ya got another Scott boy ready to up to bat for Peyton" Haley said, in a different tone than she had used before. She always had a different tone of voice when she talked about Jamie. Lucas could only hope that Peyton would soon be able to have that, too.
"Alright Hales, I'm on my way now. Call Brooke and see if she knows where she is, and if she doesn't, then, just, call someone else. I'll be there in 10 minutes." Lucas said, as he pulled out into the highway in his vintage mustang.
"Okay, see ya in a few. Hey Luke?" Haley asked.
"Yeah?"
"Be careful, we don't need both of ya'll in the hospital." Haley said, in her motherly tone.
"Yes ma'am, mother. Bye!" Lucas said, as he hung up.
As Haley hung up with Lucas, she immediately began to scroll through her contacts, and found who she was looking for. On the 5th ring, Brooke answered.
"Brooke? Where is Peyton?" Haley asked.
"Julian, hold onnnn!" Brooke giggled into the phone. "Haley? Peyton's in the hospital, where she should be, Julian! I said stoppppp!" Brooke continued to giggle into the phone.
"Oh no she's isn't!" Haley responded, trying to get the mental picture out of her mind, which was so clearly painted by Brooke's words, and the bits and pieces she could hear of Julian in the background.
"Julian, STOP!" Brooke said, this time with force. "What do you mean she's not in the hospital? Where is she?
"THAT'S WHAT I'm TRYING TO FIGURE OUT! Why else would I be asking YOU, which you're very clearly busy doing other things, where she is! I came by to visit her while Luke ran home to shower and change, and when I got here, she wasn't here! And Luke doesn't know either." Haley said, as her very bored son started climbing on things.
"Jamie! You cannot climb on that tree! That's not a real tree!" Haley called out, as her son was very interested in climbing the fake tree in the hospital hallway. 'I swear I outta get a leash for that kid' Haley mumbled to herself.
"Ohhh!" Brooke said, obviously shaken that her best friend is missing. "I'll be right over , and help you… look for her?" Brooke said, thinking to herself that it sounded like she was going to look for a lost kitten, not her best friend.
"Yeah, okay. I'm going to see if I can find a nurse or something…JAMIE!" Haley said, then having to call her son, again. "trust me, what you have on your head is NOT a helmet!" as she saw her son putting a, thankfully, un-used urinal on his head.
As Brooke hung up the phone, Julian could tell something was wrong. "What's wrong?
"She's missing." Brooke simply replied.
And with those two words said, Julian could only remember a special night he had shared with Peyton.
"Hello?" Peyton said, as she answered her phone.
"Hey Peyton, it's Julian. How are you?" Julian asked,
"I'm gooooood," Peyton drawled out, wondering why her best friend's boyfriend was calling her, instead of her best friend.
"Oh well that's, good?" Julian asked, very nervously.
"Are you okay?" Peyton asked.
"Yeah, I'm fine. I got a question for ya." Julian said.
"Alright, shoot." Peyton responded.
"Well, I was wondering, if maybe, I could, er…, um… I can't do this over the phone. Can you meet me at fifth at Waterford? Do you know where it is?" Julian asked, and by now, Peyton knew he was up to something, or something was wrong.
"Yeah, I know where it is. Beside of dockside, right? See you in, what, 10 minutes?" Peyton asked, as she grabbed her coat.
"Yeah, okay, bye." Julian said, and hung up.
"Where are you going?" Brooke said, "Off for a last minute drink with Lucas, maybe?" Brooke said, while wiggling her eyebrows.
"No, it was ," Peyton almost said Julian, but the she changed her mind, thinking that if Julian had wanted Brooke to know he would have just called her. "just a guy from the studio, he has a couple more questions regarding the new tour for Paramore. So I'm just goanna grab a drink with him while we discuss it."Peyton said, hoping Brooke would believe her.
"Oh okay, have fun, don't get laid!" Brooke said, and then laughed.
"Byeeeeeee!" Peyton called out, as she left.
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"Julian? What is going on with you?" Peyton asked, as she took a seat beside of him at the bar.
"Nothing!" Julian cried.
"Okay then, what couldn't you ask me over the phone?" Peyton said, trying again.
"You know I love Brooke, right? And I wouldn't hurt her for anything in the world, and that I just want her to be happy, right?" Julian asked.
"Yes Julian, I know. What I DON'T know is why you made me come here just so you could tell me this…" Peyton said.
"Well, I'm getting there. You're her only real family, and she loves you more than if you were her real sister, so I was wondering if maybe, I could," Julian stopped, took a breath, and thought to himself, 'it's just like ripping of a band aid, just DO IT!' Julian told himself. "I was wondering if I could have Brooke's hand In marriage?" Julian finally spit out!
"AHHHHH!" Peyton screamed, making everybody in the restaurant turn around and look at her. "OF COURSE YOU CAN MARRY HER! Are you kidding me? Y'all are meant to be! Yessss! Oh my gosh. Just please try to do a better job at proposing to her than you did asking me for her hand in marriage." Peyton said, while playfully slapping his shoulder.
"Aw, thanks Peyton. I just want her to be happy." Julian said, relieved that his future fiancé's best friend was okay with it all. "I have to fly to Las Vegas for the week to get some filming done for the movie, and she's flying out there on Friday so we can spend the weekend together. I was thinking of asking her then." Julian said, as he the butterfly's in his stomach took flight again.
"Are you kidding me? I have to spend ALL week with her, and I have to keep this a secret?" Peyton said, realizing that she would have a hard time keeping THIS under the blankets.
"Yes! And I swear if you let it slip Peyton Scott-Sawyer, oh *heck I don't know what your last name is, but you BETTER keep this a secret!" Julian said.
"Fine, I'll figure out something. But Aw, Julian, I'm so happy for you, and her, and oh my gosh my best friend is going to get MARRIED!" Peyton screeched, as she got up to hug him.
"Thanks Peyton" Julian said, and Peyton could see the happiness in his eyes.
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"Julian? Julian? JULIAN!" Brooke had to end up screaming at Julian to get his attention.
"Huh? What? Oh, yeah?" Julian replied, snapping out of his daydream.
"Earth to Julian…, anyway, as I was saying earlier, I'm leaving now, I'll call and let you know what's going on." Brooke said, as she gathered up her keys.
"Okay, and when you get back, we can continue," Julian said, as he leaned in for a kiss, which Brooke immediately deepened, "this." Julian continued, once they broke apart, only for the lack of oxygen.
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As Lucas ran into the hospital lobby, he could only think that it wasn't too long ago he was doing the same time. Except this time, he knew Peyton was OK, he just didn't know where she was.
"Excuse me, my sister came here earlier to visit with my fiancé, and she wasn't in her room, and she can't find her…" Lucas said, while standing at the nurses' station.
"Name?" the nurse who was in front of a computer said.
"Lucas Scott." Lucas replied.
"No, I mean the patient's name." the nurse replied, with venom practically dripping off her tounge.
"Peyton Sawyer." Lucas said, quite embarrassed that he made that silly mistake. He honestly didn't care though; he just wanted to find his fiancé.
"Peyton, Sawyer" the nurse repeated, as she typed her name into the computers. "Looks like she was taken down to x-ray about 30 minute's ago." the nurse said, as she looked up to look at Lucas.
"X-ray?" Lucas repeated.
"Yeah, apparently the doctor wanted another picture of her leg to make sure it was set correctly in the cast. She should be through now, since it she was sent down 45 minutes ago.
"Forty Five minutes ago, hale called 40, it's been 35 min," Lucas mumbled
"Excuse me?" the nurse called out.
"Huh?" Lucas replied.
"Were you trying to say something?" the nurse said.
"Oh, no. thanks for your help!" Lucas said, as he turned and walked off, heading towards the elevator.
As Lucas stepped off the elevator, and turned to walk towards Peyton's room, he was met in the hall by Peyton in her bed and 2 men on either side of her, pushing her bed through the hallway.
"PEYTON!" Lucas cried out, as he ran to meet her.
"Yeah?" Peyton replied, unsure of why worry was all over Lucas' face.
"You're not missing anymore!" Lucas said, as he grabbed her hand, and intertwined their fingers
"I was never missing…" Peyton responded, not sure what he meant.
"Well Haley got here like 45 minutes ago, and you weren't in your room, and nobody knew where you were!" Lucas said, as Peyton began to understand.
"She didn't see the note?" Peyton asked.
"What note?"
"The note that I left on my bed just in case anybody came to see me…" Peyton said, as she was transferred from the gurney to her regular hospital bed.
"See? This one right here." Peyton said, as she handed Lucas the note that read, 'gone to get an x-ray, be back soon. Xoxo, P'
Lucas was about to make some smart comment about Haley not seeing it, but as he looked down, he could see how tired Peyton was, so he decided that he'd just kill Haley later.
"Aw, honey, I'm sorry that you were worried!" Peyton said, when she saw Lucas taking a few deep breathes, trying to calm himself.
"Hey hey, no, it's fine. Trust me. I'm just glad we're both here now. You look tired, why don't you take a nap while I go and kill Haley?" Lucas said, as he rubbed Peyton's knuckle's with his thumb.
"Mhmmm, that sounds nice. Just, stay with me a few more minutes, please?" Peyton asked, giving him her 'puppy dog' look.
"Sure. Now just try to get some rest, okay?" Lucas complied with her request, and stayed with her as she drifted off to sleep.
A/N; there it is! I PROMISE the next chapter will be up very soon. Please review (:
xoxo