Nothings Bigger than love – chapter nine

Peyton had woken up just before Leo usually woke up every morning and turned off the baby monitor, she thought that it was important for Lucas to get some extra sleep, she had walked out of Leo's nursery with him under her arm and like a super hero whisked Sawyer from the doorway of her parents' bedroom before Sawyer had the chance to wake up her dad. Lucas had spent the whole night tossing and turning and she knew where his thoughts were, back at a specific moment wishing that he could somehow change the circumstances that he found himself in that day a lifetime ago. When he did finally emerge from the bedroom he walked out to his family in the living area of their small beach front property, Peyton sat in front of the high chair feeding Leo while his eldest little free spirited daughter danced to whatever cartoon was on the television, at an incredibly loud volume, maybe his irritable state made it sound louder than it actually was but never the less her requested as he walked through the area that his daughter turn it down. Peyton looked at him with sorrow in her eyes, she knew what day it was and she thought that the best way to get through it would be to just coexist together; from experience she knew that this was the best option, she would try to talk to him but when the kids weren't there to distract them. Lucas walked over to his concerned wife and kissed the top of her head before again telling Sawyer over his shoulder to turn it all down; he then made it to his son whose hands he kissed "Turn it down Sawyer"

"Sawyer honey" Peyton said trying to get to her daughter who was so enchanted by the music that she couldn't hear them, Sawyer absolutely adored her father and mother for that fact and wouldn't ever ignore their requests. Lucas seemed to have let it go and she watched as he walked towards the fridge, getting his regular cup of orange juice like every other morning, if anyone who didn't know the significance saw this morning they would assume that nothing was wrong.

"TURN THAT DAMN THING DOWN NOW SAWYER" Lucas yelled before throwing his glass of orange juice in the sink and watching as it broke into a thousand different pieces in front of him, he remained oblivious to the fact that all three sets of eyes were firmly placed on him. He steadied himself with one hand on either side of the sink as Sawyer quickly scurried to turn down the television. Peyton couldn't take it anymore, she knew that he was hurting that he needed some time but these kids were not going to be put through this, and she also didn't want this to make an impact on how Sawyer viewed her father, because she was a complete and total daddy's girl and that look on her face in that very instant was bad enough, Peyton scooped Leo out of his highchair and walked over to the little girl who is still yet to take her eyes off her father "Come on Blondie help me dress your brother" she said with a smile of reassurance on her face as she took Sawyer's hand and they walked up the hallway.

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Sawyer stood on the edge of the changing table with her mother standing behind her while she removed her little brothers singlet "Why is daddy so sad today mama?" Sawyer asked with this innocence that was like a stab in the gut for Peyton.

"You know how we talk about your grandpa Keith?"

"Ya-ha" the little curly haired girl said as she watched over her brother who sat on the changing table with a big grin on his face, she loved how obliviously happy he was, she wished she could be that small and without a worry in the world.

"Well your daddy misses him very much darling, especially today" she said as she rested her chin on the bouncy curls that lay upon the four year olds head.

"I'm going to spend today with mum" he said as Peyton jumped, she wondered how long he had been standing there in the doorway, she looked down at her daughter willing her to not ask him to take her with him but also willing for her to ask so there was some sort of recognition of the normal family dynamic but Sawyer stood very still against her mother's arms, still stand off-ish after her dad yelled at her.

"Okay" Peyton said with a supportive smile as he walks away from her and their little family.

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Peyton sat on the couch with a cup of tea in her hands, she wanted no distraction today so she had turned off her mobile knowing that the majority of people that she loved were in that school on that horrible day and that they would be mourning that experience in their own ways today and those who weren't in the school were wise enough to know that today wasn't the day to call and have a chat to Peyton or Lucas. She was so thankful that Sawyer and Leo were so comfortable with each other and were distracting each other so that she could just sit with her own thoughts for at least a moment, to think back to that day where she nearly died on the library floor. She tried to shake away that memory, like she always did on the anniversary of the school shooting, she would hold it all together for her kids and then when they went to bed she would finally allow herself to think of all that happened that day and she would wind up sobbing herself to sleep. She came back to reality to watch Sawyer hand in hand with her brother walking him around the room as he looked on at her with a big smile. The knock on the front door worried her and so she quickly put her cup of tea on a high cabinet so that Leo couldn't reach it and headed towards the front door "Sawyer, be careful with your brother please" she said as she opened the door with the most horrendous thoughts going through her head, she breathed a sigh of relief when she saw who was standing in her doorway.

"Hope you don't mind us coming around, we thought we might leave Lucas and Karen to it today" said Andy as Lily smiled and walked past her to the kids in the living room

"Come in" Peyton said with a faint smile as Andy hugged her tightly and came into the house.

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Karen lay motionless on the queen size bed in the master bedroom of the boat with tears running down her cheeks, her eyes were already puffy from tears that she had previously shed already today. Lucas walked into the room with two cups of tea and she sits up, smiling weakly as she grasps the mug in both her hands.

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They had decided that there was no point being crowded in the small house all day and made a decision to take the kids to the beach for some fresh air and some fun, they stood near the growing tide watching as Sawyer ran manically through the water while Leo sat at their feet. "Where is Lily?" Peyton said as they both frantically started looking around, their gazes stopped at the lone figure sitting on the beach with her arms wrapped around her knees, they looked at each other with this look that meant that they both knew what was going on and it was a sad look so Peyton offered to go and talk to the teenager who was probably so confused by this day.

"Hey kiddo" She said as she sat down next to her

"Hey"

"What's up?" Peyton asking, knowing full well what was up but wanting Lily to feel as though she could talk to her about this sort of stuff.

"I don't know what to do on this day, mum and Luke are so distraught and upset, and so am I but in completely different ways. Today for them signifies the day that they lost someone so incredibly dear to them" she said looking up at Peyton as though she wanted her response, Peyton looks at her completely stumped on what she can say to her to somehow help her today so she rolled up her pant leg and runs a finger down her scar that she got on this day

"Today for me signifies how lucky I am to be here on this planet right now but I don't know how to act or what to do today either because on one hand I am so incredibly gratefully that I am standing here right this very second but on the other hand today is the day that we lost Keith Scott and that is devastating and heartbreaking because we all loved Keith" they had always made an effort to shield Lily from all of the bad stuff in life because of this combined feeling of need to protect her from it, like she didn't need any more heartbreak in her life especially at her age but they never hesitated in confiding or talking honestly to this very wise young woman.

"What was he like?" lily constantly asked this question but none of them minded, it was nice to go back and think of all the memories they had shared with Keith.

"He was lovely, caring and funny" Peyton said fondly remembering back

"It hurts knowing that I seem to be the only one who doesn't know the amazing ways of Keith Allan Scott. Every day I live with the fact that I can never know my father" she considered Andy as her father because he was the only one that she had ever had but somehow knowing this on a day like today made it worse and she threw herself into Peyton's arms as she burst into tears, Peyton didn't refuse this instead she held onto her tightly and kissed the top of her head.

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Peyton sat on their bed in her pyjama shorts stroking the scar on her leg, she heard the front door open and walks to the hallway to check on the man that she knows it is, she sees him walking into their daughter's bedroom, so she snuck up the hallway and sat down next to the door listening in for the conversation she knew that he was about to have.

"Hey baby girl" he said as he leaned down next to his daughter's bed with a hand on her arm, she stirs and turns to him with her big green eyes "Scoot over" he said as she did as he instructed and Lucas lay down next to her.

"Are you still sad daddy?" she asked as she looked up at him

"Yeah bubba I am"

"Mama said that your sad spec-specially" she attempted to use the same words that her mother had used that morning to describe It all "Specially today" Peyton weakly smiled as she pressed her head against the wall.

"I'm sorry for yelling at you this morning girly, I shouldn't have"

"That's okay daddy you were sad about pa Keith"

"No darling it is not alright, I shouldn't have lost my temper with you, and I love you so much my little Sawy-berry" he said looking down at her with a smile

"Love you too daddy" she said matching it

"Your Pa Keith would have adored you" he said before kissing her on the head, Peyton felt tears in her eyes, she was always an emotional wreck on this day and for good reason. Peyton could hear him saying goodnight, he walked out of the bedroom looking down at her and without question, thought or judgement he sat down next to her, holding his hand out which she quickly filled with her own hand as he kissed it.

"I've been thinking" he said looking down to her as she looked up "life is short, Keith is an example of that, Peyton we are surrounded by so much greatness, look around we are so lucky. I think we should have another baby"

"What?"

"I called Alexis and she is thinking about it" he said looking at his shocked wife "That is only if you want to"

"Yes" she said as her shocked look turned into a massive grin

"Are you…"

"YES" she said hoisting herself up and kissing him on the lips.

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The little girl walked into her parents room with her wild curls sprawled across her back, they were laying both facing the door, her father's arms wrapped around her mum. Sawyer grabbed a pillow that had fell off their bed during the night and began swinging it at her father and mother who eventually woke up to the commotion, Peyton smiled at her before quickly getting out of the bed, she watched as Sawyer continued to attack her dad with the pillow "That's it I'm going to get you little monster" he said as Sawyer giggled uncontrollably as Peyton smiled widely, that laugh could make her melt. Lucas scooped her out of the air and pulled her down to the mattress where he began to tickle her.

"Be careful with her" she said as she left the room to go and get Leo who had recently stirred across the baby monitor. She returned with the not so awake boy in her arms to find Lucas standing in the corner on his mobile phone and Sawyer jumping on the bed "Who is daddy talking to?" Peyton asked as her daughter shrugged her shoulders, Peyton arched her eyebrows before snuggling back into bed with Leo nuzzled onto her chest when Lucas got off the phone he had this wicked smile on his face, Sawyer jumped from the bed into his arms and he hugged her for a moment "Who was that?" Peyton asked looking from her husband down to the baby boy in her arms.

"That was Alexis" he said as Peyton felt her heart stop "She thought about it and well SHE IS GOING TO GIVE US ANOTHER BABY, BABY" he yelled at the top of his lungs before jumping up on the bed with Sawyer in his arms and dropping her on the bed so that they could both jump around Peyton in the bed, Peyton looked up with a massive smile, knowing that her family was hopefully going to be getting bigger soon, and by what she had already she knew that it was going to be the most fantastic thing since sliced bread, she loved her family.

This chapter is finished but the story isn't (3 chapters to go)