A/N: Hey guys…sorry for the late update! So I come back from LA and find out my uncle past away (worst week ever)…The funeral took up my entire time; that's why I haven't updated until now. Writing seems to make me feel better after everything.

Flashbacks in Italics (but I'm sure you already knew that ;) )

Chapter Eleven:

Lindsay sat at the breakfast nook eating a cold bowl of oatmeal; it had been sitting there for more than half an hour, thinking of how her life had gotten to this very moment. She should have realized that Peyton Sawyer would always be in Lucas Scott's life. She edited that damned book in the first place, how on earth did she become so blind?

Lucas had returned home about two and a half hours after she had. She was up watching a movie when the front door opened. Lucas was the first to walk in with Elle following right behind him; insisting and practically begging her father for her to come along saying she needed a change of clothes, but neither adult knew the true intentions of why she came and that was to see a rumble occur.

"Hey Lindsay."

Elle muttered her father walking past the woman and into the guest bedroom. Lindsay figured that's where he'd be staying for the night, but when she noticed that he grabbed blankets and extra pillows for the room she went to inquire her husband what he was up to.

Lindsay's body was leaning against the door's white frame her hand placed across her chest as her step daughter had just walked past her taking a seat on the bed as she bounced like an excited kid.

"Dad?" Lucas turned his attention away from the bed. "I think mom's going to be fine with a couple pillows. You didn't have to go and collect every single one in this house."

She smiled playfully as she counted. There must have been about fifteen, she was overreacting but it was still a lot. Lucas looked back at the white feathered pillows and counted the eight fluffy clouds and smiled shyly.

Lindsay's eyes squinted together she couldn't make her husband smile like that.

Lucas thought about how Peyton loved being comforted by pillows when she slept. She always gave him a hard time about only having two or four pillows when she had about ten. He added the extra two pillows that added up to the two digits. He looked at the bed and smiled satisfied.

"Ten. Perfect."

Lucas spoke and Leighton padded his back as if congratulating him on completing a gigantic project.

"Mom's going to love it."

That's when Lindsay had realized what the young girl she called step daughter was saying.

"What?"

Leighton's blue eyes looked at Lindsay the smile never leaving her lips and the twinkle in her eyes growing with sparkle.

"My mom's going to be staying here with us. Isn't that great?"

"I'll ask again. What?"

Her eyes growing wider and wider, her eyebrow's arching in the air with curiosity, and Elle swore she could see the hot steam blowing out both the wicked step mother's ears. Yes being here was all worth it she just wished she had a camera.

"You heard her, Lindsay." He sounded bitter and he truly didn't care because he was still angry with her. "Peyton's going to be our house guest while Preston recovers from the accident.

"Lucas, can I speak to you?" Lindsay eyed Leighton with a bit of suspicion. "Alone!"

Elle practically skipped out of the room as she laughed; Lindsay heard her say something about this being totally worth it. The door slammed against her back and the young teenager shoved her ear against the cold wood.

"What do you mean she's going to be staying with us? And for how long?"

"Did everything I just tell you go in one ear and out the other? She's staying to help Preston recover and until the doctor says he's up to par than she'll be here and help her son not to mention mine."

Lindsay huffed to herself and opened the door causing Elle to stumble almost falling to the ground as she caught herself at the last second. She had the 'oops I'm caught' look and giggled nervously.

"That doesn't look to appetizing."

'Speak of the devil' Lindsay thought giving the blonde woman a small smile and eyeing the large bowl of sweetened cereal that was a mixture of Lucky Charms and Fruit Loops. That was one more thing she could add to the long list of why she envied Peyton Sawyer. Here she was reduced to eating hot oatmeal, now cold, to keep her figure in shape while it seemed that Peyton ate whatever she wanted without gaining a pound.

"It's healthy."

Lindsay stated in a matter of fact tone forcing herself to take a bite as her eyes roamed the calendar noticing the two squares that were marked with an X. It had been two days since Peyton arrived into her home and it had been nothing but hell for her. Two days since her husband hadn't said a single word to her. Two stinking days that he hasn't touched her. Yes it had been two awful days in the pit of hell.

"Do we have anymore Fruit Loops left?"

"What about Lucky Charms."

"It's in the cabinet."

Lindsay was brought back out of her thoughts the voices of the blonde twins and their mother caught her attention. She watched the interaction that played before her, the blonde girl pouring Lucky Charms into a large bowl and the blonde boy adding Fruit Loops and shaking the bowl mixing the contents together before pouring them into two separate bowls.

The twins dug their spoons into the cereal adding cold milk and taking a bite.

"That's gross."

Preston looked at what his step mother was eating his nose scrunching up in disgust as he grabbed his spoon with his cast free hand and gulfed down another spoonful.

"What're you eating?" Lucas asked waltzing into the kitchen thinking about how amazing the previous two days have been. "Mmm Fruity Charms; my favorite."

Peyton smiled at Lucas' old name for the mixed cereal. He'd given it that name all those years ago when they were still in high school.

Peyton sat at the table looking at the two almost empty boxes that were placed in front of her. Her eyes darting towards the clock; she really only had about ten minutes to eat before she had t leave for school and neither box had enough to make a bowl full so she grabbed the Fruit Loops and poured it into her breakfast bowl then added the Lucky Charms in it. As if on cue Lucas walked through the door his eyebrows furrowed together.

"What are you doing, Peyt?"

"Making breakfast." She stated in a 'duh' tone smiling that very smile he loves. "Want some? It's really good."

The spoon was cradled in between her thumb and index finger the marshmallow charms, a green and yellow circle loops placed on top the milk dripping from the silver spoon as she swerved the utensil from left to right. He opened his mouth and seconds later his taste buds were filled with the sweet and fruity bits of the cereal.

"Mmm, you're right. I think Fruity Charms are my new favorite kind of breakfast."

"You're such a dork, Luke."

"You know you love it.

Lucas brought his lips down to hers and she could taste the sweetness of milk and cereal on his tongue.

"That I do."

"We practically lived off of that stuff our senior year in high school, huh, Luke?"

Lindsay watched as her husband and his high school sweetheart reminisced about their past.

"We did. Didn't we?" Lucas looked around to his kids as he began his small tale. "Every morning when I got to your mom's house we'd have a bowl of this stuff."

"That's still the only kind of cereal mom ever buys."

Leighton told her father, but she was sure he already knew that.

It was the last morning that Lucas would be in Los Angeles. The week had flown by as he begged for time to slow to a snail's pace. By the time his plane would be off and on its way back to Tree Hill Julian's would be touching ground. He thought about everything that occurred and every family moment he shared with his children and the mother of his twins. Day's spent going to the San Diego Zoo to Marine World and beach trips while the nights were spent playing video games and watching cartooned movies curled up on the couch or evenings spent going out to dinner; the constant compliments from waitresses saying that their happy family was the absolute cutest.

Lucas had just finished pouring milk into the plastic bowls before the pitter and patter of little feet filled the hallway then the kitchen.

"Daddy!"

The shrieking of his little four year old filled his ears and he smiled.

"Indoor voice, Elle."

She stood next to her father and her arms flew up into the air informing him that she wanted to be picked up. He scooped her into his arms tickling her stomach.

"Daddy, stop it, please."

Her childish giggles filled the room and Lucas swore it was the most precious thing he has ever heard.

"Okay, just because you have very good manners."

Lucas looked into the little girl's eyes and stared in amazement of how much they mirrored his exactly.

"Mommy teached me how."

"It's taught not teached, my love."

Peyton chassed towards the father and daughter placing a warm kiss on the little girl's cheek as Leighton repeated her sentence to her father using the proper grammar.

"Mommy, daddy made Fruity Charms for breakfast."

Preston who was placed in his mother's arms spotted the cereal.

The morning had flown and Peyton had left earlier than everyone else to go help Haley with the decorations for Jamie's goodbye party; he'd be leaving for Yale the next morning. Brooke and Chris were already present by the time she showed up seeing as both were currently staying over at the house of 'Naley' as Brooke dubbed them in high school.

"So, Curly, how's everything going in Lunesayville." Chris had asked about the dubbed duo that was Lucas and Lindsay. "Is the fort holding on?"

Peyton rolled her eyes at the still egocentric musician. She wondered how she ever became this close to Chris Keller.

She had been in the mailroom for over a year and was finally being promoted to a desk and become a receptionist for the assistant. Peyton kept telling herself that it would be so much better than the freaking mailroom.

Hearing the familiar chuckle of a man she despised she shot daggers towards the spiky haired singer.

"Well, well, well. We meet again, Goldie Locks. Didn't know you'd be here in Los Angeles. It is fancy meeting you here."

"Chris Keller." Peyton spat his name out like it was venom as she rose from her chair ready to kick him out of the record label. "What the hell are you doing here?"

"You know I could ask you the same question." He instantly noticed the small bulge in her stomach. "Shouldn't you be in Tree Hill getting ready to raise your baby?"

Peyton quickly sat back down as she cradled her stomach that barely began to grow a week ago; one hand above and one hand below her protruding belly. She really hated laundry day especially when the only clean shirt she had was form fitting and she felt she was exposing herself.

"Don't tell me Lucas knocked you up. Classic Scott move, I tell you." The sudden anguish in her eyes caused Chris to soften for the briefer of a second. At that moment he realized that it was true, but there had been something that went on between the Romeo and Juliet of the twenty-first century. "Now don't go trying to pin this baby on me because I know you truly want me."

He tried to ease the tension and it worked noticing her green angry eyes showed no sadness what so ever with the comment that he made and this only caused Chris to laugh as he raised both his hands in surrender walking past her and into the door of her boss.

He walked out half an hour later grinning.

"Just got my fourth demo green lighted now I'm going to celebrate. Lunch is on me. What do you say, Blondie?

She would have rather accepted a dinner invite from Paris Hilton and even let the no talented heiress sing than go to lunch with Chris Keller, but she was starving and so she agreed not knowing that this would be the beginning of a close friendship.

Peyton held up the navy streamers that were inscribed with 'Off to Yale' as Chris hung them to the sealing.

"Everything's going okay." She really didn't know what else to say. She could tell Lindsay was uncomfortable and maybe even a bit self-conscious, but the woman had no reason to be. For goodness sakes she was Lucas' wife not Peyton. "So how's it going here? You know with Nathan wanting to kick your ass and all."

"What are you talking about? Nathan is the Brooke to my Peyton. We're that close!"

Just then the dark haired Scott came into the house purposely knocking Chris off of the stool causing him to fall and the streamers to be yanked off the wall.

"You were saying?" Peyton laughed. "I think he's more like the Rachel to your Haley. Or is it the Haley to your Rachel?"

"Whatever. But you Blondie are the Haley to my Lucas."

"Yeah, yeah, Shakespeare now get back up there and hang these decorations."

It had been exactly five months since Lucas walked out of her life and out of the lives of her unborn children; well technically he didn't know about the twins and yes she said twins, that's two babies growing inside of her. The doctor's appointment had gone smoothly newly printed ultrasounds were given to the mother-to-be ready to be placed on the fridge.

She opened the door to her apartment and wasn't freaked out when all she saw was the spiky hair above the couch's cushion.

"I swear you're like a porn addict."

She joked as she took a seat next to her new best guy friend handing over the thin pieces of paper. He looked at each picture for the longest time and Peyton wondered if he'd heard what she said.

"First of all The Girl's Next Door is not porn. Secondly I tried figuring out your password for the x-rated channels with no such luck. At least give me a hint."

Peyton laughed rolling her eyes. It had been almost three months since Chris Keller came charging back into her life and she was glad she finally had somebody other than Brooke to confide in. Peyton had to admit that as much as she loved Brooke the best friend steered clear of the L word. Chris on the other hand loved to bash the guy's character and ego-ness of the whole proposal situation and of Lucas just being Lucas.

"And thirdly I was supposed to go with you to your doctor's appointment. Now how am I going to rub it in Brooke's face that I was there to find out what your babies are going to be?"

He mocked hurt as if her action by not letting him attend the ultrasound was a true crime.

"Brooke would kill us both if you found out before her."

"So you know what the sexes are?"

Peyton nodded in agreement the smile reaching her eyes. Chris just hoped that what he had to tell her wouldn't make that smile disappear.

"So when are you going to tell him? You are going to tell him, right?"

He didn't say the name, but she knew who he was talking about. Why did everyone think that it was taboo to say his name around her?

"Yes. Of course I am. I just…I don't know when."

Chris handed her the cordless phone dialing the number he'd dialed ten minutes earlier and hanging up before it could ring once.

"The Keller thinks now would be the perfect time."

It rang once, twice, three times, and on the fourth a familiar voice came through her eardrums, but it wasn't the voice she'd expected.

"Peyton?"

"Haley?" Peyton asked confused giving Chris an even more confused look as he jotted down on a piece of paper that he dialed Lucas' number. "Hey. Is Luke there?"

She could hear his best friend sigh loudly on the other line as the noises behind her began to grow fainter and fainter.

"Peyton, why are you calling?"

Haley wanted nothing more than to ask how her friend was doing and that she missed her terribly, but as the words came out of her mouth it was the exact opposite with a hint of annoyance in them.

"I have to tell him something. Something I should have told him months ago."

Peyton was taken aback from her friends words. It had taken five measly months for a close friend to think of her as nothing more than a stranger.

"Peyton this isn't high school anymore. You can't go around breaking his fragile heart and then wanting to repair the pieces. He has someone else now and he's starting a family with her. He's going to be a dad and she's a great person, Peyton."

She didn't hear what Haley had to say next. He met someone else. Five freaking months and he met someone else, in the course of five months he impregnated another girl, and he was going to be a father to someone else's child.

"Don't tell him I called."

It was the last thing she said before she ended the call throwing the phone across the room as it made a loud thump against the wall. She wanted nothing more than to be angry, but her hormones kicked in causing her to cry like a blubbering fool. Chris held her in his arms as she cried on his shoulder telling him Haley's part of the conversation. She wouldn't let Lucas Scott become Dan because he wouldn't have to choose. She wouldn't let him as she already made the decision for him. Peyton Sawyer would never again try to contact Lucas Scott nor would he ever find out about her unborn children.

As the last of the balloons were hung showing of the school's colors the party was about to begin. It was sure going to be one hell of a party that would never be forgotten to anyone in the group.

A/N: So there is chapter 11. What do you think? So I hope that kind of answers some lingering questions you might have. Don't worry the chapters will come sooner now that everything else is finished. Um…what else? Oh yeah there will be a lot more flashbacks in the up and coming chapters.

Oh yeah and leave a review :D