A/NHello guys!! I know it's been so long and I'm officially rubbish!! but I'm back. As a lot of you may know I've been away and had a great time and am now trying to adjust to being back home again! It's taken me a while to get back into this story because for one it's so angsty and it's been so long but I do plan to finish it. I'm not going to make you promises I can't keep because I know it's going to take me a while to get back in the swing of it but I'm trying and hopefully updates will become more regular soon! And a big thank you to all you faithful readers that have stuck with me for so long and all your lovely reviews!

'There we go missy' Brooke exhaled triumphantly, setting the last present down, a toothy grin on her face and eyes bubbling with excitement. She'd spent the last fifteen minutes unloading her car with gifts for the birthday girl. There were five in total, each distinguishable by their candy floss wrapping paper and huge cream bows. 'Well, what are you waiting for pretty girl?' The brunette urged impatiently.

Peyton watched on in amusement, a protective hand on her growing bump and one supporting her back.

'You spoil her too much B Davis'

'She's my little god daughter'

'She's going to be your little brat of a god daughter if you buy her this much stuff every birthday'

Brooke stuck her tongue out dismissively, returning to eagerly watch the five year old carefully peeling back the shiny paper at what Brooke considered far too slowly.

'God any slower and you'd be moving backwards' She whined, crouching down beside the smiling infant. 'Presents are for ripping open Izzy'

Isabel frowned as Brooke assisted in tearing open the gift. 'You ruined the pretty paper Aunt Brooooke'

'Yeah you've ruined the pretty paper Aunt Brooke' Peyton chimed.

The unsatisfied twenty six year old pouted, falling back onto the grass. 'Fine, fine, you do it. I'll just watch'

A further five painstaking minutes later, Isabel had finally unwrapped the first present to reveal a doll.

'See your Mumma's having a baby and I thought you could have your own too!'

Isabel smiled, protectively holding the doll in her arms.

'That's sweet Brooke' Peyton took her friends hand.

'Wait till you see the rest'

Peyton rolled her eyes as slowly, Isabel opened the remaining parcels and was surrounded by every accessory available for the doll with a handful of painfully hand stitched mini clothes included.

'Brooke these are so cute' Peyton held up a little all in one outfit.

'Don't worry I've already started on making this one a whole bunch of top of the range stuff' Brooke rested her palm on her best friend's baby bump.

'Brooke, you don't have to do that'

'Hey, I want to. In fact I'm thinking of doing a baby line'

'That would be amazing'

'Yeah it will be and this one can be the first to model them'

Peyton laughed, her gaze drifting back to her daughter. She smiled proudly at the caring manner in which Isabel was cradling her new doll and for the first time since she'd found out about the new arrival that would shortly be joining them, she was filled with excitement. Excitement at the prospect of having another baby to care for and more so, excitement for her daughter that would have a younger sibling to be with, something she'd never had.

A gentle breeze blew her hair and she tucked a curl behind her ear, tilting her head in the process. It was then that she noticed the figure standing in the gateway of the backyard, watching her intently.

His stare was intense. He was blatantly looking her up and down and she felt her cheeks redden. She smiled shyly and self-consciously, she didn't feel attractive, she'd not felt attractive for a long time but his longing gaze was enough to make her weak at the knees.

She rubbed her lips together and made her way over to him.

'You came'

'Is that alright? I thought you said-'

'I did say' She nodded. 'Of course it's alright Luke. I'm glad you're here' Her eyes averted to the package in his hand.

'It's for Isabel'

'She's over there'

'I know, I've been watching, she looks like she's enjoying herself'

'She is. She's having a wonderful time. She's so happy to be back. I told her you were coming and she keeps asking when you're going to get here' It was a bit of an exaggeration, she'd asked once but it was something.

Lucas smiled, he knew she was lying but he loved her for it.

They walked over to the blanket where the little girl was sprawled out, inspecting her many presents.

'Isabel look who's here to see you'

Isabel looked up at her visitor.

'Hi Izzy'

She bit her bottom lip and Lucas was immediately struck by how much she looked like Peyton. She was definitely a Sawyer girl, that was for sure.

'Hi Daddy'

He smiled. Daddy. He'd forgotten how wonderful that sounded.

'Happy Birthday sweetie'

She was just a little girl, five years old exactly, she couldn't possibly understand everything that had gone on in her life so far but when she looked at him and she smiled, it was a trusting beautiful smile. A knowing smile, she may have been little but even she could see the astounding change in her father. He was different and she liked this different.

'I've got you a present' He tapped her nose and she grinned, keenly accepting the neatly wrapped present.

'Thank you'

'You're welcome. Have you had a nice day so far?'

'Uhuh. Aunt Brooke got me lotsa cool stuff and I've got a birthday cake with a fairy princess on it' She explained, peeling back the paper carefully.

'Wow that does sound pretty cool'

'It's a book' She announced with an apprecitive smile, she was definitely her Daddy's daughter. 'I love books'

'Yeah? This is a special book'

She looked at him curiously.

'This book is all about you' He explained, opening the cover. 'See all these pictures, your clever Mum did all these'

'That's me' She pointed out observantly.

'That is you' He smiled.

'Thank you Daddy, I love it' She scrambled from the blanket and hugged him on her own accord and he hugged her back.

'I love you' He said the three little words that he'd not told her nearly enough in the past. He was going to change that, starting from now.

She smiled and nodded shyly and then Jamie came up behind her and shouted 'It' and she skipped off after him.

'That's such a lovely present Luke' Peyton had watched every last second and was in awe. This was the romantic man she'd loved and married. 'It must have taken you ages'

'It's nothing' He dismissed.

'It means everything' She corrected. 'Thank you for being here'

'I wouldn't be anywhere else' He said honestly and for the first time it really felt like he'd come home to her, that this was a new start, a new beginning for all three of them.

'Hey Brooke, erm, I've been sent for plates for the kids, any idea where they might be?' Lucas asked sheepishly upon entering the kitchen.

'What are you doing here?' She turned around to face him. She'd been watching him like a hawk since he'd arrived. She'd spent the last few days listening to Peyton drawl on and on about how different he was, about how she thought things were going to change. Brooke would even go as far to say that Peyton had been acting like a teenager with the constant reminders and reenactments of how he'd told her that he loved her and in any other circumstance she would have been laughing and smiling along with her friend but there was something stopping her.

'Peyton asked me' He answered.

'You have no right-'

'Brooke'

'No Lucas. I don't want to hear it'

'But-'

'No' She hastily wrapped another piece of Haley's famous chocolate cake in a unicorn napkin before shoving it into the princess themed party bag. She'd never thought it was possible to feel such disdain for a friend but right now she couldn't even look at him. 'You should leave'

'Isabel's my daughter- it's her birthday'

'And she's my god daughter and Peyton's my best friend and she's been through enough, she's pregnant the last thing she needs is you being here'

'I want to make it better'

'Then tell her, tell her before I do because I won't lie Lucas, I can't continue to keep this from her'

'I'm going to tell her I just, I need time'

'Time? So you can win her heart back and break it all over again'

'Christ Brooke please, just let me do this my way'

The fuming brunette spun around 'Why? You hurt her Lucas, I saw the bruises on her and you, you were the last person in the world I thought could ever hurt anyone, let alone Peyton Sawyer and I know you've been ill and I know, I know that I can't possibly ever begin to understand what you've been through but I will not lie to my best friend, I can't pretend that everything is fine because it's not'

'I know it's not fine but I want to make it up to her, I'm going to make-'

'Lucas you slept with someone else!' She exclaimed furiously.

The sound of glass smashing against the floor startled the arguing pair. Their heads jolted around and their eyes widened considerably at the innocent bystander.

Peyton blinked, her brow furrowed, her green eyes welling with tears. Her focus was on Lucas, just Lucas.

His heart palpitated in his chest. This was the exact scenario he'd so badly wanted to avoid.

The hurt, the disappointment and pure disdain that was engraved into her features was unbearable.

He'd done what he'd promised he'd never do, he'd let her down, he'd made an oath in church, he'd sworn to love her and be true to her. He'd broken that promise. He'd hurt her, he'd hurt her in so many ways and now he'd committed infidelity.

'Peyton' Her name escaped his lips in a sharp exhale.

'You, you' She closed her eyes and he could see the wall going up around her. 'You had sex with someone else?'

He swallowed. He didn't want to answer that question.

He battled with telling the truth or fabricating a brilliant lie that would make this all go away. But there was no point in lying. She already knew the truth.

'Yes'

Her face contorted and she grappled at the door frame.

Lucas strode forward. 'Peyton I was drunk, I didn't, I didn't mean to, It was once it didn't mean-'

'Stop'

He reached for her but she swatted his hands away.

'Don't you touch me. Don't you fucking dare' She gulped back the lump in her throat. 'Get out. I want you to leave. Get out'

'Pey-'

'Get out!' She screeched.

He stood there, frozen, his feet unwilling to do as she demanded. He couldn't leave because he was afraid that if he stepped out of this house he wouldn't be allowed back.

'Mummy?' Isabel's sweet little voice quivered. 'What's wrong?'

Peyton didn't respond. She didn't even hear. Her head was thumping and her world spinning. Everything she believed in, her faith in the man before her had all just been snatched from beneath her feet.

'Isabel' Lucas' hand touched her small shoulder and his heart ached. He'd not only wronged his wife but his daughter and unborn child too.

'Don't touch her' Peyton grabbed Isabel's wrist and pulled her back.

'Mummy!'

'Don't you ever touch her'

'Mummy!'

'Peyton please let me explai-'

'Lucas you should go' Brooke announced evenly, her hand on his arm. 'You need to go' She'd wanted her best friend to know, she'd needed Peyton to know but this most certainly was not how she'd wanted her to find out. She'd wanted her to be sitting down, she'd wanted it to be broken to her gently.

Lucas relented. He'd managed to ruin his daughter's birthday and perhaps any shot he had at winning his wife back.

'I'm sorry' He declared quietly. That one apology was filled with so much hope and sorrow. He let Brooke lead him out and when they reached the front door he could hear Peyton's strangled sob and could see the silhouette of Isabel wrapping her little arms around her mother.

'She's going to need time' Brooke said through pursed lips. 'I think it would be best if you didn't try and contact her for a while'

He nodded glumly. 'I never meant-'

'I know Luke, but what's done is done and you have to deal with the consequences' She glanced over her shoulder. 'She needs me'

He nodded again and Brooke closed the door and even though she'd been gone, that he'd been without her for so long, it felt like he'd never been so far away from his wife as it did then. Just thirty minutes ago he'd been happy, happier than he had in a long time and he'd been hopeful about their future together, but he'd lost her now and he wasn't sure he'd ever get her back.