Chapter Five:

Tree Hill, NC

Lucas woke up early the next morning finding his side of the bed empty and cold. He stood from the bed making his way out of his room and down the stairs; he could already smell the scents of his wife's breakfast culinary skills. Before walking to the kitchen he quietly opened the door to his son's room and noticed the teenager snoring as he closed the door and opened the other across the small hallway. His daughter's mumbling was incoherent to his ears and calming his doubts that they were safe and gently shut the wooden door.

He wondered how long the twins had been up taking note that their rooms looked complete as he walked into the kitchen. His son sitting on the stool his elbows propped up on the island and his father ruffled his hair like he use to when he was five.

"So how was your day, yesterday?"

The sentence was suppose to sound as if he was interested, but came out angrily.

"We told you we couldn't be here when they got here, Lucas." His wife put extra emphasis on the word they as she began to rant. "We had to go buy extra food, toiletries, and a lot of other things. Not to mention it was short notice. You didn't even talk to me about them visiting. Let alone for the whole summer."

Lindsay's voice hissing as she stopped flipping pancakes and gave her husband all of her attention; Lucas was becoming more and more frustrated with every word coming from her mouth.

"I didn't know I need your permission to spend time with my children." His vocal cords screaming sarcasm and spitting out venom. "Is it okay if I take Elle and Pres to visit their grandmother or maybe their aunt or uncle later today? Is that fine with you, Lindsay?"

The scratching of wood sliding across the tile caused both parents to look away from each other's glare.

"Great, the prodigal twins haven't even been here for twenty-four hours and you're already at each other's throats."

Elliot ran off towards the back door and out of the sights of his mom and dad. Lindsay ran after the boy and Lucas almost did the same, but stopped when he realize he had no idea what to say to the youthful boy.

***

Los Angeles, CA

Peyton was woken up by the phone ringing and she reached for the cordless phone before the same sound could be heard. Her eyes still closed as her fingers pushed a couple of numbers trying to find the 'talk' button. Once she found the right button she mumbled a hello and something about this being important cause if not than the person on the other line was going to get an ass kicking.

"Hello to you too, beautiful."

The voice on the other line made her smile, almost. It was as if sleeping pixie dust was being sprinkled across her face as she yawned.

"Okay I know it's like…" Peyton glanced towards the digital clock and read the red numbers indicating it was 6:03 AM and trying to figure out what time it was in Germany, but her brain wouldn't function correctly. "Not six in the morning there, but it is here."

"Look outside."

She asked him why and rubbed the sleep from her eyes as another yawn escaped her lips.

"Because you're present is outside. And if you don't hurry up someone might steal it. It's a pretty damn good gift if I say so myself."

Peyton quickly threw the comforter off of her, if it was one thing that Peyton Sawyer loves it was presents, and she ran towards the large window. Opening the dark curtains and squinting at the sunrise before opening the double doors and walking out onto the terrace.

"Surprise!"

Julian stood outside his arms wide open as if saying 'I'm here' and holding Casablanca and Star Gazer lilies in his right hand, her favorite. Peyton quickly ran outside into the waiting arms of a man she loves. She didn't even realize what she was wearing until Julian had whispered that he loves her in her short pajama shorts and tank top. She brought the lilies up to her face and took in their scent and whispered that it was all for him as she ran back into the house and he followed after her. So began the game of cat and mouse.

***

Tree Hill, NC

Haley let herself in to her brother-in-laws place and heard the sounds of the TV playing. She walked into the living room and noticed that Lucas was watching today's game.

"Hey."

She took a seat next to him and he turned off the TV and faced his best friend. Something in his stance made her question what was wrong. He sighed and she knew something had gone down in the Strauss-Scott household.

"Okay, spill."

"Me and Lindsay got into a fight this morning."

"Again?"

This had to be the millionth time that the couple had fought in the last two days. She most likely already knew what about, but she just had to ask hoping that she didn't.

"What about?"

"Elle and Pres staying for the summer."

"And I'll say it once more. Again?"

Haley loved her sister-in-law, but this attitude of hers was getting old fast. If she was still acting this way after sixteen years than maybe she wasn't the woman she thought she was. For heaven's sake these were Luke's kids, her best friend's kids.

The silence overpowered them, but it was a comforting silence. Haley always knew that Lucas was going to be a great father with three beautiful children, maybe even more. But she just never thought that it would be with two different women. She along with everyone else always thought that the three children would belong to the two broody blondes, and of course the smallest would probably look a whole lot differently.

"Speaking of my favorite twins; where are they?"

"Sleeping."

The smile on his face was genuine happiness and she couldn't help the smile from forming on her lips.

"Still? It's like two o'clock in the afternoon. I know that they must be a bit jet lagged, but it's like eleven in L.A."

"Yeah, but I usually don't wake up till like twelve when I'm home."

Both best friends turned to look at the sixteen year old standing behind the couch wondering how long he'd been standing there. Hoping that he hadn't heard the conversation they had about the boy's step mother. Preston made his way around the couch as Haley stood and they embraced each other.

"Hi, Aunt Haley, it's good to see you, again."

"Pres, you get taller and taller every time I see you."

"Neah, you're just getting shorter."

Haley smacked his arm playfully as she took one last look at her nephew.

"And handsomer if I say so myself."

"What can I say. I'm just a good looking guy."

The room quickly filled with laughter.

"What about me?"

Haley turned and seen her niece standing against the living room's frame.

"Well Miss. Elle you are absolutely gorgeous. You certainly are Peyton's daughter, that's for sure."

Lucas nodded in agreement. Leighton was defiantly Peyton's daughter. The only thing that she had physically inherited from her father was his baby blue eyes. And he didn't mind that one bit; he loved how his daughter looked so much like Peyton and acted like her. If he had had another daughter with Lindsay it wouldn't be fair, but very true that Leighton would most likely be his favorite and he hated that he thought like that, but he just thanked the man above that he and Lindsay didn't have a daughter.

"Come give your favorite aunt a hug."

Haley and Leighton met halfway and their arms wrapped around the other.

"Don't let Aunt Brooke hear you say that. She might have a heart attack."

Haley laughed into her niece's blonde hair.

"Well as I see it Brooke is certainly the favorite godmother, but I'm most defiantly the favorite aunt."

"Okay. I won't tell her if you don't." Leighton agreed. "Oh and mom says hi."

Every time Peyton was mentioned Lucas can't help but feel the electricity in him build up. He just wished he could feel that way for Lindsay, at least once.

"So what are we going to do today?"

Preston had asked causing both women in the room to let go of their embrace. Before either adult could answer Lindsay walked into the house. She wasn't surprised to see Haley there and she greeted her. Haley nodded her head indicating hello.

"Hi, Aunt Haley."

Elliot wasn't much of a touchy feely kind of kid, he mostly kept to himself, as he waved and Haley returned the gesture. The silence that came was overbearing especially for the young teenagers staying for the summer. The lyrics of Jukebox Hero by Journey breaking the silence and Elle finally quipped in.

"That's mom!"

She sounded excited. She quickly ran into her room and jumped onto her bed grabbing her cell phone and quickly pushing the 'talk' button while thanking her mother for calling; she had saved her from the awkwardness of it all.

"Hey mom."

"Hey babe, how are my kiddos doing? Got any plans for today?"

"We're okay beside the silence and I don't know exactly what we're going to do today. What are you up to?"

Peyton knew not to push her daughter and Elle was totally her daughter closing up quicker than a clam if she was questioned about something she didn't want to talk about. It was just something to mention and she wanted to quickly change the subject. Yes Elle was one hundred percent her mini me.

"Well just stuff."

Elle had heard mumbling on her mother's end and suddenly recognized the voice.

"Is dad there?"

Peyton had hoped that Lucas wasn't around to hear his daughter call another man dad, but that's what Julian had been; a second father.

"Yes Julian's here. He surprised the heck out of me."

"Oh I see how it is. Get rid of your two precious kids so you can have that big house all to yourself."

Elle mocked hurt, but she was a horrible actress because a second later she was in giggles. Peyton loved hearing her daughter laugh and she too joined in.

"You caught me. That was my master plan, get rid of you brats and spend some time alone with my man."

"Ewe so didn't want to picture any alone time involving the two of you."

The witty banter between mother and daughter came out naturally. They talked for about ten more minutes before either said their goodbyes and Peyton had told her daughter to say hello to Preston and that she missed him very much, her daughter agreed. Elle hung up the phone and walked back into the living room hoping that the awkward silence had passed.

The living room was empty, Haley was gone, Lindsay in the kitchen cleaning up the mess that was made earlier, Preston and Elliot were nowhere in sight, and her father walking up to her smiling; a way a father's smile should be, full of love and protection. She remembered that's what she always loved about her dad, he made her feel safe no matter where she was.

"So we all figured out what we're going to do today. Go to grandma's house for a barbeque. So scoot, we're leaving in one hour."

Elle rushed back into her room and decided what to wear. One hour to get ready, what was she going to wear? Casual or formal? Well this was Tree Hill and a family outing. She decided on casual knowing that this wouldn't be anywhere near the brunches her family had been to with Manhattans' élite and Beverly Hills' privileged when Julian and her mother had to impress clients for whatever their cause was for the moment.

She decided on a short jean skirt and a simple screen T-shirt with a picture of a guitar and scribbled lyrics saying 'When words fail' across the front and 'Music speaks' on the back; her hair in a messy ponytail as she grabbed a pair of her favorite sandals and big sunglasses.

She walked out of her room with minutes to spare and knew it was a good choice. Her brother wearing basket ball shorts and t-shirt and her father wearing something very similar, obviously there was gaming that was going to take place. She noticed Lindsay in the exact same pair of clothes she'd seen her in earlier, jeans and blouse and Elliot in checkered shorts and white polo.

The five of them drove off towards the house they knew so well. They noticed the black SUV indicating that Naley's family had arrived and made their way towards the backyard where Andy was cooking hotdogs and hamburgers, the woman talking, and Nathan and his sons playing a game of basketball.

"We're here."

Lucas yelled over his family's chatter. Karen got up from the chair she was sitting in and walked over towards her son. After a moment she noticed her two growing grandchildren. She hadn't seen them in over a year, seeing as she was out of the country this past December, and playfully shoved Lucas out of the way to embrace her son's children.

"Elle, look at you, for a second there I thought you were Peyton. It's so good to see you, my beautiful girl."

Karen had pulled Leighton into a hug. Elle fiercely clung to her grandmother; she loved the older women with all her heart and was glad that she was able to call her grandmother.

"Hi grandma."

"It's kind of weird calling you grandma." Preston mentioned and Karen gave him a questioning stare, but he quickly reassured her with that Scott smirk. "You are too young to have sixteen year old grandchildren."

"Come here you handsome sweet talker."

With Leighton still in her arms Karen motioned for Preston to join them and he walked towards the two and was an edition to the hug. Karen looked at her grandson, he was defiantly Lucas' son anyone would tell you that, but you could also see Peyton in the boy's blue-green eyes.

A/N: okay so I wanted to end this on a cute note! This chapter was already written just a bit differently, but it was erased from my usb stick somehow *tear* but to tell you the truth I like this rewrite a whole lot better! Oh and I promise Leyton is coming soon! Within the next chapters I promise! So go ahead and leave me a review and let me know what you think :D