A/N: First and foremost, thanks for all the wonderful reviews. It because of all of you that I get the drive to keep writing. Please keep them coming. I also want to warn that this is another slow chapter. Can't be helped. But still, sorry about that. It's also shorter than usual, but it was necessary. I promise that the next chapter will be much more exciting and probably a little longer.
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Lucas watched as his brother and his son rough house and smiled wistfully. Before his thoughts could run away with themselves, Jamie disentangled himself from his father.
"What's wrong, Uncle Lucas?" The sweet voice of his nephew breaks him out of his reverie.
"What makes you think something's wrong?"
"Well, you don't look happy."
Lucas had to laugh. "I'm fine, J. Luke. I was just thinking about some grown-up stuff."
Jamie rolled his eyes. Grown-up stuff was adult code for boring stuff. "Hey, Daddy, where's Momma?"
Nathan shot a look at Lucas. He wasn't going to be the one to tell him that two of his ex-girlfriends were in town. "I told you, buddy. She's out picking up a few things."
Jamie pouted. "But I'm s'posed to make dinner!"
"I know, but how about we take a rain check on that?"
His son put his hands on his hips, looking very much like his mother when she was annoyed. "I was gonna make macaroni and cheese."
"How about some pizza, instead?" Nathan pulled his son to his lap, trying to appease the boy.
"Extra cheese and pepperoni?"
"And sausage."
"Awesome!"
Lucas grinned. He wished that everything in life could be forgotten so easily with the promise of junk food. But he had to admit, pizza did sound good.
-------
Haley pulled off the road. When the car had completely stopped, she turned to her friend in the backseat. "Did you just say that you're pregnant?"
Peyton nodded. "Yeah, I did."
"Should I be happy for you or no?"
It was a valid question. "Be happy, Hales. I am. It's not how I wanted it to happen, but now I can't wait to have my baby."
Haley relaxed. "Then congratulations, Peyton. I just know you're going to be a great mother."
Peyton smiled. "If I'm half as good as the one you are, then I'll be happy."
"You'll probably kick my ass in that department."
Brooke raised an eyebrow at Haley. "Don't think I don't know what you're doing, Tutor Mom."
Haley was confused. "What am I doing?"
"You're trying to kiss Peyton's ass so she'll make you Godmother. Well, it's not going to work. That's my position."
Peyton laughed. "Yes, it is, B. Davis. And I've already told you a dozen times today that no one is going to take it from you."
"Good."
"So, I have to know," the young Mrs. Scott started. "Lucas is the father, isn't he?"
"Yeah, he is."
"You know those Scotts," Brooke began. "Able to impregnate a girl by just standing downwind."
Haley ignored Brooke's attempt at humor. "Are you going to tell him? Because I don't think this is something you can keep a secret while living in the same small town as him."
"Don't worry, Haley. I'm going to tell him. I just need time to register it all. I just found out about this myself."
"Hey, no judgment here. I didn't tell Nathan I was pregnant for weeks. And we were married."
"That's right! You let the whole school think I was pregnant!" Brooke huffed.
Haley, once again ignoring Brooke, gave Peyton a warm smile. "Listen Peyton, if you need anything, anything at all… Just let me know, okay? I don't ever want you to feel like you're going through this alone."
Peyton grabbed Haley's hand and gave it an affectionate squeeze. "Thank you, Haley. That means a lot to me."
"But I'm still the Godmother, right?"
-------
It was amazing what a couple slices of good pizza and a cold beer could do. Lucas felt better he had in weeks. He made himself comfortable on the couch that had served as his bed the night before. He was thoroughly enjoying watching Jamie kick Nathan's ass at videogames.
He checked his watch. Lindsey was probably in New York by now. Which meant… he had kept his promise to himself. Lindsey was gone and he was now free to call Peyton.
He quietly got off the couch and made his way into the kitchen. He took out his cell phone and took a deep breath. Well, here went nothing. He brought the cell phone to his ear and waited with bated breath, hoping that Peyton would pick up the phone.
She did.
"Hello?"
"Hi, Peyton."
"Lucas." It was amazing how many different emotions she could project in one word.
"How are you doing?"
"I'm doing better. I, uh, heard about Lindsey. How are you doing?"
She was worried about him and he felt his heart jump at that. "I'm doing better than she is."
It was a weak excuse for a joke and Peyton didn't find it remotely funny.
"Yeah, I'm fully aware of how she's feeling."
Ouch. "I didn't mean it like that."
Peyton sighed. "I know. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to snap at you like that."
After all the things he had done to hurt her, she's was the one apologizing to him. "It's okay, Peyt. I deserved it."
"Yeah, you did."
He chuckled. "So, about last night…"
"Luke…" She sounded weary. "I know you have things you want to say to me, but I don't think this is right time."
"When will it be the right time, then?"
"I don't know. I'll let you know, okay?"
"Okay. Anyway, I'm glad you're feeling better."
"Me too. Guess I'll talk to you later, then."
"Yeah." Luke closed his eyes. "Oh, and Peyt? I love you."
"You have got to stop saying that, Lucas!"
"Why? It's true and I don't want you to forget it."
Peyton sighed. "I love you, too."
Peyton hung up the phone to see her two best friends watching her intently. "What?"
"He told you he loved you, again?" Brooke already knew the answer to that question, but wanted to hear it from Peyton.
"Yeah, it's kinda becoming his catchphrase with me."
"You told him you loved him, too," Haley reminded her blond friend, quietly.
"I know. I just couldn't not say it, you know?"
Brooke and Haley exchanged a look. Brooke, always being brutally honest with Peyton, spoke up. "He's single now, you know."
Peyton shrugged. "So?"
"Peyton, he's broke up with Lindsey for you." Haley's tone was softer. "I told you that."
The blonde shook her head. "I don't want to talk about this. Not with him and not with either of you, okay? I'm kind of feeling a little overwhelmed right now with the whole being pregnant, unemployed, and homeless. And I don't need anything else to think about at the moment."
The two brunettes nodded and each of them reached out over the table and squeezed one of their pregnant friend's hands.
"You're right," Brooke agreed. "It seems like a lot of stuff. So, we're gonna take this one step at a time. Let's start with the homeless thing. First thing tomorrow morning, you and I are going to go house hunting."
Peyton smiled gratefully at Brooke for the change in subject. She wasn't ready to deal with Lucas like that. Not yet.
"And tomorrow night, you two are coming over for nice home-cooked meal." Haley looked straight at Peyton. "We got to fatten you up, girlie."
"Yeah, I'd like that."
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The next night, Haley was standing in front of the stove, listening to Brooke relate the story of how she came to own a house in Tree Hill.
"So, it was beautiful and big and right on the water-" Brooke was saying when Peyton looked up from the sketch she was doing for Jamie.
"The only problem was that it wasn't for sale," the blonde interrupted.
"Details." Brooke smiled. "Everything is for sale, you just have to meet the price."
Haley laughed. "What did you do, Brooke?"
"I just gave the woman a very generous offer. She was so happy that she even left us the pie that she was baking."
Haley pointed at the pie that the two girls had brought over. "That one? Oh thank God, I thought one of you had made it."
"Hey!" Peyton gave her a mock-hurt look.
"Seriously, I thought was going to have to choke down a salty apple pie." Haley was teasing her.
"That was one time! And it was cookies," Peyton mumbled.
Brooke and Haley smiled at her and Peyton just rolled her eyes. Her mind immediately went to that memory. Lucas and her had been so happy back then. And so much in love. It made her a little sad, but it was also nice remembering such a happy memory.
Brooke, not missing the smile on Peyton's face, moved close to Haley. Keeping her voice low so Peyton wouldn't hear, Brooke asked, "Did you talk to Lucas today?"
Haley shook her head and watched as Jamie ran into the kitchen pulling Peyton out into the living room with him. "No, his cell phone was off all day. And Nathan said that he didn't see him at the Rivercourt today, either."
Brooke sighed. "The entire day, I was convinced that we were going to run into Lucas. After all, this is Tree Hill. That kind of shit happens all the fucking time here."
"Brooke! Language!"
"Sorry, Tutor Mom." Brooke leaned against the counter. "I forgot."
"But you do bring up a good point," Haley said. "Where was Lucas all day?"
-------
Lucas heard his stomach growl. That interrupted his train of thought and he looked around. His eyes went to the clock in the dark room and he was surprised to see how late it was. Lucas had been so engrossed in his writing that he hadn't noticed that the time flew by. He couldn't believe that he had spent the entire day writing.
He had woken up this morning with the urge to put his thoughts on paper, something that hadn't happened in a long time. The past few years, except for the screenplay, writing seemed like a chore for him. But not today. Today, the words came easily and naturally to him, like they hadn't since he was writing his first book. The words in his head were almost too fast for his fingers to keep up with. Before he knew it, he had pages upon pages of new material written.
Lucas stood up and stretched. He was sore from sitting at his computer all day, but he barely noticed his aching muscles. His computer screen was full of his words. He wondered whether or not to call Lindsey with the news.
She was his editor, after all. Their break-up yesterday complicated things, sure, but that was no reason for her not to do her job. Still, maybe it was prudent to give her at least a week before she had to deal with him. Just for safety's sake.
His stomach growled again, reminding him that he hadn't eaten anything all day. He was starving and everything else was just going to have to wait until he had some good food in his stomach. And he knew just where to get some.
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"Daddy, look what Peyton drew for me!" Jamie showed Nathan the quick sketch that Peyton had done.
"It looks awesome, buddy."
"I know! I'm gonna hang it on my wall!"
"Hey! Did you thank Peyton for drawing that for you?"
Peyton smiled as she saw her ex-boyfriend be all paternal. She couldn't believe that the man in front of her was the same guy who was such a dick in back when they had been dating.
"Oh! Thank you!" Jamie ran over to her and gave her a huge hug.
"No problem, little guy."
Jamie ran off upstairs. Probably towards his room to put up her masterpiece.
"So, I hear you're going to be having one of those yourself pretty soon." Nathan had said it pretty nonchalantly but Peyton could tell that he was nervous bringing up the subject.
"Haley spilled the beans, huh?"
"Yeah, but did you really expect her not to tell me?"
"No," Peyton answered honestly. "So, what do you think?"
"Not my place, Sawyer."
"Nate…" It was a plea.
Nathan sighed. "Truthfully? I'm proud of you. I really am. But I'm also scared for you. Raising a kid isn't easy, you know? Even with two parents."
Peyton nodded. "I know."
"But no matter what, you're not alone, Sawyer. You got a family here and we are more than willing to help you out in any way that you need."
"Still playing the martyr, huh?"
Nathan shook his head and gave Peyton a firm hug. "No. I'm just taking care of my friend and my little nephew…or niece."
Peyton had to fight back the tears. Even if things got really bad between her and Lucas, she knew that at least Nathan would step into the father figure role for her child. Just knowing that made her feel less worried.
"DADDY!" Jamie's voice came from upstairs. "HELP!"
Peyton broke away from Nathan sniffling. "Go, your son needs you."
Nathan nodded and started running up the stairs. As soon as he disappeared from view, Peyton heard a knock on the door.
"I'll get it!"
Peyton walked towards the door and opened it. Her heart stopped when she saw who the visitor was. It was the last person she had expected it to be and the only person that it could have been.:
Lucas Scott.