A/N: I'm back from my short vacation and you guys are still very AWESOME :D.

-Dragonballzfreak210-Glad your enjoying it! And I love Julian, too, like really really adore him but unfortunately he had to be "lost" in the shuffle *tear*

Chapter Twenty Three:

The funeral services weren't much that really let any of the deceased's family and friends have any closure seeing as many of the bodies weren't found and only a small handful had been recovered, but unfortunately Julian's wasn't one of them. He was just a lost soul now that people from around the world would feel sorry for. No, there was no seal of goodbyes to the man that was loved by many. No body, no ashes, no remnants that he even physically existed just the facts that were written on paper; birth certificate, school diplomas, a fake marriage license that he and Peyton had printed out from the internet many of years ago as a joke but now it hung proudly on the banister in their room, and a death certificate.

Lying on his bed Preston has been doing just that for the last couple of days getting up only to use the bathroom and he'd go straight back into his room. He was like a mute haven't had said a word just stared at the last photograph that sat perfectly his desk. He had smiled at it once, but when he realized what he was doing that simple act of happiness was gone replaced by a grimace. It was the last time that he would grin at the frozen memory of Julian, himself at a young age, and of one of his basketball heroes before he could ever look at it again.

The displeasure with himself for even thinking anything remotely to elation had hit the young boy hard. Wondering how he could be so contented with the snapshot when the man he knew as a father had most likely been shark chow. And how did he handle the displeasure you might ask? Hearing the sound of shattering glass would answer your question as the four pervious filmed images that sat on the black desk had been swiped off by his arm with such force that the thing that had caused them to stop flying across the room had been the wall.

Upon hearing the disturbing clatter Lucas had excused himself from where his own gathering had occurred, the small group of close family and friends, that consisted of five people, there to support his children and their mother but there hadn't been any advocacy the three people who were mourning for their loss stayed cooped up in their rooms none willing to hear what the 'outsiders' had to say because they thought that truly none of them were going through what they were currently dealing with. Peyton had only spoken to Karen a couple of times but only to her while Elle and Pres said nothing to no one.

"Preston."

He witnessed the convulsions from his eldest child that terrified him beyond belief quickly making his way towards him Lucas tried to comfort his son because if anyone knew what he was going through it sure as hell was Lucas. He had lost a father figure, too, around the same age and he felt the hurt that was coursing through Preston's body and he had the same feeling of anger towards the world that stole away a life that was a vital essential to a teenager's life.

"Get away."

Preston warned he couldn't be consoled right now because all the 'Everything's going to be okay's were just lies that he couldn't stand to hear. He wanted to grieve and the only way he could do that is if he was allowed to hate what this world had become. But Lucas didn't let up his hand stayed firm on Preston's shoulder that is until the adolescent shoved it away repeating his previous words this time loud enough for the whole house to hear.

Seconds later it was Peyton who came rushing in just like Lucas had done earlier promptly bringing her son into a clasp hold that only a mother could accomplish as he finally broke down the whimpered cries turning into loud sobs as Peyton began using an old tactic of hers and that was to rub circles on his back to sooth him; a trick that Lucas had done thousands of times to help keep her inner battles at bay.

Hearing the sound of hollow weeping Lucas turned to see Leighton her back pressed densely to the wall the palm of her hand covering her shut mouth trying not to let any sound escape, it was failing miserably. It took him a couple of times but he was finally able to usher her out of the room and into the backyard where the sun brightly shown as if somebody forgot to change the weather to dark and cloudy. He led her to the swing set that sat desolated for too long and they both sat on one of the empty swings the rusting steel made a creaking sound as they gently swung.

"He hasn't said a single word to me and we always tell each other everything."

Leighton finally admitted a tear cascading down her cheek her vision began to blur the sight of the house looking like a big blob of peach.

"He hasn't said anything to anyone."

Lucas tried to assure his daughter.

"But Pres always tells me what he's going through no matter what. I've tried to get him to talk because I really need to talk to someone and he won't even let me in. I mean it's not like he's the only one who lost him. I lost him and mom lost him." She sighed. "It's not fair. Preston's acting like he's the only one who has to deal with the fact that Julian's no longer in our life."

She stopped the small side to side motions and dug a hole into the dirt with shoes. If it was one thing that Lucas wasn't about to tell his daughter it was that life wasn't fair or the fact that the world they lived in was a cruel one. He would just be there for Elle in the time that she needed him.

"When my Uncle Keith died-"He began to speak tears welling up in his own eyes at the mention of the man who could have been his father. "I was in this dark place much like Preston was. I hated the universe for taking him away. I never told anyone but I blamed myself for his murder."

"Dad, it wasn't your fault. You didn't pull the trigger."

Leighton finally looked up at her father wiping away at the tears before they could stain her cheeks glad for the minute that she could let her mind wander off to something that didn't crush her inner core so much.

"If I didn't go back into the school then-"

"Then there is this huge possibility that my mom would be dead." Elle interrupted. "And we wouldn't exist."

Lucas could only nod his head in agreement. He was at a loss for words. There was many times when he always wondered 'What if I just stayed on the bus?' but then those thoughts would lead him straight to the confrontation of living in a world without Peyton Sawyer and he couldn't live with that so he always came to the same conclution; if he needed to do it all over again he would. He would go back into that school and he would save her in the library. Nothing would ever change that.

"A blessing in disguise, I guess."

Leighton murmured continuing her movements on the old swing set not sure if her spoken words were actually a statement or an opinion.

"How are you holding up?"

Lucas finally asked knowing that if she was anything like Peyton than if there was one other person that she would be able to open up to other than her brother and mother it would be him.

"If you can call locking yourself in your room, not having an appetite yet starving at the same time, and feeling fatigue 'holding up' than I'm the natural of it all."

She stared blankly looking at nothing in particular.

"Elle, what can I do to help you feel better?"

Lucas pleaded needed to help relieve his daughter's heavy heart.

"Got a time machine?" Lucas shook his head 'no' reluctantly. "Didn't think so."

"If it helps I wish that I did."

"Me too, dad." She whispered.

Standing from the swing she strolled back into the house Lucas' footsteps right behind her not surprisingly when she maneuvered her way into her room and confined herself in their probably for the rest of the day the door remaining locked.

"I finally got him to settle down."

Peyton spoke the quiet guests still in the living room not even chatting amongst themselves not knowing what to say to one another deciding to stay just in case their words of comfort could be used to those that needed it.

"Good. That's good." Lucas took in Peyton's appearance. Her tired eyes begging for any ounce of rest knowing that it might be awhile before it was given. "How are you?"

"How are any of us?"

She asked and he usually hated when his questions were answered with another question, but he didn't say anything about one of his biggest pet peeves.

"Pretty damn bad."

"Yeah." Her voice broke. She was trying to be the strong one but the tears welling up in her eyes were showing him her weakness. "I'm sorry-"

"Hey, hey." The pad of his thumb instinctively whipping away at the drop of saline that escaped from her eye. "You have no reason to be sorry."

She stomped her foot lightly on the ground the sound that was suppose to deaden the horrid moan that escaped from her lips. Wrapping his arms around her she leaned into his chest not following his actions but permitted her fingers to play with the brim of his collared shirt.

"This isn't just some bad dream is it?" He couldn't answer her. "There's no chance that I'm just going to wake up from this any time soon is there?"

Silence.

"You can stay here as long as you want."

She wasn't sure what to take on his offer but she knew she wouldn't be able to go back. Back to Los Angeles, back to the house that was made into a home. Back to the happy memories knowing full well that there wouldn't be any more to make.

"Thank you, Luke."

She pierced her lips tightly shut the action that went unnoticed by him, but she couldn't hide all her emotions her sniffling showed that she was crying.

The door across from them gapping open the son that only came out to use the lavatory staring at the man who wasn't Julian holding on to his mother. His eyes burning with affliction adding on a dose of consternation.

"What the?"

He whispered just loud enough to gather his parent's attention; Lucas could read his son's face perfectly because it was the same look that he gave Dan when Lucas had spotted him with Karen his senior year of high school after he found out the truth. Before Lucas could even get a word in the door slammed shut and the alarming bustle behind the wooden frame got louder and louder.

"Pres." Peyton lightly knocked as soon as the rowdiness ceased. "Open the door, kiddo."

The sounds of his feet shuffling across the wooden floor she knew that he now stood by the door maybe leaning against it; that she was absolutely certain of.

"I know this is all hard for you because this is hard for me, too."

The door opened slightly ajar Preston standing right behind it.

"Is it really that hard, mom? Because it sure doesn't look like it."

A/N: Short again. But hope you enjoyed it :D And I just finished watching tonight eppy of OTH and it was wow! The LP scenes were so so emotionally sad! I don't even know what else to say except that they were all just teary eyed moments! Lastly review greatly appreciated! About the story or even about your thoughts of the episode! I love talking about both ;)