Hey ya'll. Here's yet another chapter that you have all been waiting oh so patiently for. Hope it doesn't disappoint. It's not my favorite chapter. I think I just lost some steam or something.

Also if anyone is paying attention I effed up the timeline. Brooke ands Peyton officially stopped speaking at the end of college. I wanna say Lucas proposes less than a year after that. Anna is conceived eight months later. What can I say? I don't do numbers. What's that saying? Those who cannot add, write? ;p

When Lucas came home with the groceries, it was to find the rest of the Scott clan crowded in his kitchen. Lily and Jamie were watching television in the family room and Amalia was napping in the office.

He barely got through the door, before Haley shot up out of her seat and ran over to embrace him.

"Oh God Luke we just got here," she said, taking some of the bags from him and setting them on the counter.

"Mom and Karen were just filling us in," Nathan said gravely from the table. "My lawyer says an appeal can take weeks or even months," Deb said from her place at the breakfast table.

Lucas clenched his teeth and nodded, tersely, his rigidness melting away when he felt a tug on his pants and a cooed, "dada dadadadada."

He set the rest of the groceries down and scooped up his boy, who had been crawling around the floor with a stuffed dog he had lovingly named Bo-bo. "Hey my sweet boy," he cooed, kissing his cheeks and smiling when the baby pat his face in greeting.

Karen smiled at the two wondering what was going through her son's head as she began putting the groceries away.

"Ma, you don't have to do that," Lucas said, looking up at her admonishingly.

"I don't mind at all sweetie. I'm gonna start lunch too, the kids are famished."

"I'll help you Karen," Haley said, tickling William's neck, making the baby squeal with laughter and burrow into his father's embrace. Lucas nodded and murmured his thanks, feeling distracted, like his mind was pulling him in three directions at once.

"Where's Peyton?"

"Upstairs napping with Anna," Karen replied. "The poor little thing was falling asleep in Peyton's lap and Peyton wasn't doing much better staying awake."

"Way to go champ," Nathan couldn't help smirking, earning himself a slap from both Haley and Deb.

Lucas barely lifted a corner of his mouth and he rolled his eyes at his little brother. "I'm gonna go check on Peyton," he said, handing William to Nathan.

"Come'ere big guy," Nathan cooed, tossing the baby lightly in the air much to his delight.

"Oh Luke, by the way," Haley called, stopping him. She ignored the look Nathan was throwing her to keep her mouth shut. "I tried Brooke at the house and she wasn't there. Was Brooke here earlier by any chance? I know she wanted to come by and smooth things over with Pey-" she stopped at Lucas's scoff and continued. "Um-Peyton. I know there was some tension last night between them."

Lucas pursed his lips and nodded shortly. "She was here. And I don't wanna get into it."

He left the kitchen and Haley exchanged a look with Karen and Nathan. "Ohhhkay, why do I get the feeling more drama happened today and it has nothing to do with Dan," Haley sighed.

"You know it's funny," Nathan said looking around at the women in the kitchen. "Lucas was saying last night that he felt something bad coming. Like everything in our lives have been going so well and he just felt like something was gonna come along and ruin it all. I guess he was right to rain on his own parade."

"So what are we gonna do about Dan?" Deb asked after a moment of silence.

"Nothing," Karen said, as she cut the crusts of the bread for William and Amalia.

"What?" Deb stared at Karen incredulously. "We are talking about the same Dan here right?"

"Right. We can't put him back in Deb, no matter how much we would like too. Trust me, I wish to God they had thrown away the key. What action are we supposed to take Deb?" Karen spread her arms and shrugged.

Deb was at a loss and Karen continued. "I know it's like a stab in the back to have him free, but…Anna is spooked and so are Lily and Jamie. If we act like something is wrong they will keep being afraid. He has done all he can do to hurt us, Deb. He doesn't have anymore power than we give him. We can't put him back in so-"

"We deal with it," Haley finished. "And keep on living our lives. We just keep an eye on our kids."

"You think we can do that, Nathan?" Karen asked, looking at her son's brother.

"We have to, right?" Nathan shrugged his shoulders, breaking off a piece of blueberry muffin and popping it in William's waiting mouth. "And Lucas will be able to do it too, because he'd do anything for his kids. It doesn't mean it's gonna be easy though," he added in a mumble. "I haven't seen him this worked up in a really long time."

"He'll be fine Nate," Karen said, setting a plate down in front of Nathan for William. She added wistfully, "He has Peyton to look after him."

Everyone in the kitchen remained quiet, knowing the older woman was thinking about Keith and how she wished she had him the way her son had Peyton.

Lucas found Peyton in Anna's room. His heart ached at the sight upon the bed. His two angels were both asleep. Peyton had managed to cram her tall frame into Anna's bed, and she was curled protectively around Anna. The little girl in turn was cuddled into her mother's chest.

He walked in further and knelt down beside them, smoothing Anna's hair back and then Peyton's causing the woman to stir.

"Luke," Peyton murmured sleepily.

"Hey baby," he replied in a whisper.

"Did you just get back?"

"Yeah," Lucas nodded, running a thumb over her cheek. His brows lowered. "Have you been crying?"

She put a finger to her lips and sat up carefully. She climbed out of the bed, stifling a groan as she stretched her back.

"Careful grandma," he murmured, earning himself a slap in the arm and a growled, "Watch it mister."

They shut the door and Lucas took her hand. "Why were you crying? Is it what Brooke said?"

Peyton let out an unladylike snort as they walked into their bedroom. "No. God. Compared with what Anna hit me with, what Brooke said was like a freaking love poem," she replied, her lip beginning to quiver all over again.

"Hey, hey baby. Come here." Lucas wrapped her up in his arms and held on tight. "What did Anna say?"

"She's scared,"

"Of Dan still?"

"No, of losing us. She knows my moms are dead and that Keith is dead and she knows that Dan left you.."

"She's afraid of being abandoned," he sighed, putting all the pieces together. Peyton nodded into his shoulder, breaking down once again.

"God Luke you should have seen her. Begging me not to leave her like my moms did and I couldn't bring myself to say everything would be okay because I don't know how long I'm going to be here. What if I die, Luke and I end up leaving her and William. She'll not only grow up without me, but she'll hate me for breaking my promise. Is that selfish that I don't want to lie to her about it? I mean am I supposed to lie to her? I mean she is only four and she's already worried about losing us. She already has so much weight on her little shoulders Luke."

"Shhhhh, I know. I know," Lucas whispered, rocking her back and forth much the way he would if he were comforting Anna or William. "We'll talk to her together."

"What do we say to her, Luke?"

"We tell her the truth, Peyt. No more secrets and no more lies, not for this generation, not for us."

Peyton smiled and nodded against him, sighing contentedly as he dropped kisses in her hair. After a moment she looked up at him and narrowed her eyes.

"How was the grocery store?"

"Peyton, lets not get into it please," he sighed, letting her go to put some distance between them. Peyton threw her hands on her hips.

"Did you yell at her?"

"Hey when did you have time to change the sheets?" He asked, in a lame attempt to change the subject.

"Lucas Scott," Peyton cried, throwing her hands in the air.

"Why are you defending her all of a sudden Peyton?" Lucas exclaimed, spinning around to pin her with an incredulous stare, before lowering his voice.

"You've been defending her since we found out she was coming back!"

"Not any more than you Peyton. We were all giving her the benefit of the doubt and trying to be friends for her during a rough patch. I wanted her back in our lives for your sake Peyton because I know you missed you friend. She messed up though Peyt. She was a complete bitch to you! What she said to you was way out of line!"

"I know that Luke! If I was still in high school I probably would have laid her out, but I'm a mom now. I can't go around bitch slapping everyone who mouths off to me."

A smile ghosted across Lucas's face. "I know Peyt, but I couldn't let her get away with what she said to you. It hurt you and I could tell," he said quietly with a shrug.

Peyton shook her head and couldn't help but chuckle lightly. Asking Lucas not to save her was like asking a zebra to lose the stripes. He couldn't do it.

"My hero," she joked, lifting a corner of her mouth in a half smile. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed his cheek.

"You didn't yell at her did you?"

"I did lose my temper," he admitted, placing his hands low on her hips. He took a deep breath before speaking again, because he knew she was going to be pissed at what he'd done.

"I also told her to stay away from you," he added quickly before holding his breath. Peyton's mouth fell open and she shoved his hands off of her.

"You what?!"

"Peyton-"

"Lucas," she cried, walking over to the door of their bedroom and shutting it. "You had no right to do that!"

"I'm your husband!"

Peyton scoffed. "And that means you're allowed to dictate who I do and do not speak to?"

"No!" He yelled. "It means I will not stand back and watch while someone hurts you!"

He said it with so much conviction, Peyton felt some of her anger dissipate.

"She hasn't been here for you in over six years and she comes back and what does she do. She treats you like shit, she makes you feel like shit for what we have together. Don't deny it, Peyton," he cried, as she opened her mouth to argue. He looked at her sadly.

"You know its true."

"Luke-"

"She makes you feel like what we have isn't right. I don't want you to ever feel that way Peyton. Do you have any idea how it makes me feel to know that you feel guilty for being with me?"

"Lucas I don't-"

"But you do!" He lowered his voice as Peyton's mouth dropped open. "You do, Peyt. And that hurts me more than you can ever know."

"Luke," Peyton cried, running into his arms. She held onto him tightly. "No. No you've got it all wrong!"

"Have I?" He challenged, quietly. Peyton pulled back so he could see her face.

"She tried to make me feel like I stole her life or something…and for a very short while, maybe I felt like I had, but-Look at me Luke. Please look at me."

She pressed a hand to his cheek and made sure he was looking right at her. "I felt it for a second Luke. It was all old feelings and old guilt. I don't feel that way anymore. There were several roads to take and we both took this one. And I wouldn't trade it for anything or anyone in this whole world," Peyton whispered, as a tear fell down her cheek. Lucas reached up and wiped it away with the pad of his thumb.

"You need to know, Peyton that you were never a mistake," Lucas said solemnly.

"What?"

"That box. The Peyton box in the attic that Brooke and I fought about all those years ago, I kept those things, because they were precious to me, not nearly as precious as the women associated to them, but-That's why I kept them. Not because you were a mistake. We may have miss-stepped and hurt her in the process, but you were never a mistake. And if you ever doubt it, you look at the two little miracles we made together and think about the new miracle we're going to make."

In a second her lips crashed into his and it took less than a second for him to respond, slanting his mouth over hers, moaning lightly when she sucked his lower lip into her mouth.

Pulling away Peyton rested her head against his and exhaled loudly

"Why did you tell me that Luke?"

"Because, it was something I never told you and I should have laid that to rest a very long time ago," he replied. "Because you need to know without a doubt that it's you, Peyton. Now, always, and forever."

"I never for one second questioned what you and I have, Luke. I never have and I never will."

"But you felt guilty."

"For a little bit, yes," Peyton nodded.

"You didn't steal her life Peyton. I wouldn't want any of this if it isn't with you." He cupped her face with both his hands and looked steadily into her eyes. "You, Peyton."

"I love you," Peyton whispered. They shared another tender kiss as Lucas led her to their bed. They climbed in, reclining in each other's arms, taking comfort in each other's presence. Lucas and Peyton had had their share of fights, some yelling matches some, not. Every argument they got past in their relatively short married life was a small hurdle they always crossed with a sigh of relief on the other side.

Lucas stroked Peyton's back, wondering if they were finished or if they had more to discuss. He wasn't sorry about confronting Brooke. He saw her as a threat to his wife's happiness and therefore a threat to his family so he handled it. But knowing his wife the way he did, he knew she did not see it quite his way.

"Was I wrong?" He asked, with furrowed brows, turning to look down at his wife. "Was I wrong in wanting to protect you? Us? She hurt you Peyt and I know that had to hurt even more because you wanted your friend back."

Biting her lip, Peyton bowed her head and nodded. "I know you were just trying to look out for me Lucas, but I can look after myself. I just really wish you hadn't done that. You have to know all that stuff is between me and Brooke, Luke. I understand why you did it and I love you for it," she whispered putting a hand on his cheek.

"But I would really have appreciated it if you would have let me handle it my own way. That fight Brooke and I had was seven years overdue."

"You're right, Peyt. And I am sorry, I just- When you hurt, I feel it too, you know?"

Peyton nodded, in understanding. The first time Anna fell down and skinned her knee and had come to them bawling, it had taken everything in her not to start bawling right along with her. She felt the pain of her husband and children keenly. Just as she knew Lucas was hurting right now because of Dan, more than he cared to admit.

"Yeah…..Do you think she'll stay away?"

Lucas looked at her and gently replied. "I don't know. She said she was going to try and find that Brooke we used to know."

"I hope she finds her," Peyton whispered, shakily. Lucas tightened his hold on her, leaning down to drop loving kisses on her forehead.

"Me too," he replied.

"I love you," she whispered, sleepily.

"Are we okay?" he asked. Peyton tilted her head up to look at him.

"I love you," she said again.

"I love you back," he smiled and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and looking down into her face. "More than you'll ever know."

"Can we just stay here for a little bit?"

"My plan is to stay here forever with you," he whispered back, shutting his eyes as she snuggled into his chest. They both fell into a light doze, their activities from the night before and the craziness of the morning catching up with them.

After a few moment the door to their bedroom creaked open and little feet scurried across the carpet.

Lucas awoke with a gasp and then smiled. He helped Anna up onto the bed and lay back down wordlessly as the little girl tucked herself between her parents. Peyton wrapped her arms around her and Lucas in turn wrapped his protectively and lovingly around his two girls.

Reviews? In the midnight hour I cried "MORE MORE MORE!"