My Saving Grace

Chapter 7 Disappointment

Our children don't always behave the way that we want them too. They often find a way to disappoint us more than we ever thought possible.

The silence was deadly on the way back to Scott's. Lucas was way too angry to even say anything to Riley. He couldn't believe that she was capable of doing something so stupid.

"Dad, will you please talk to me? The silence is killing me."

"That's the point," he said. He turned and looked at Katie. "Preston is going to take you to the airport. Your bags are already packed."

"But she's not supposed to leave until tomorrow."

"Well that's too damn bad because I got her a plane ticket back to LA."

"Dad," she tried to plead.

"This is not up for negotiations." He yelled.

"Lucas," Peyton said in a discouraging voice. She was hoping to calm him down.

"Tell her goodbye and go to your room," he stomped off upstairs. Peyton followed behind him.

Preston looked at the two girls. "I'll be in the car." He left them.

"I can't believe he got all mad. It's not that big of a deal. You just have to pay a fine."

"Yeah," Riley was upset. "I'm sorry you have to go."

"Yeah well I'll be back. Just promise me you won't let your dad jump all over you. He doesn't care about you, and he never will."

Riley shook her head. She didn't want to believe that.

She gave her a hug. "I'll miss you."

"I'll miss you too, and you better stay strong. I have to admit I really like the old Riley better. Don't let her go just because you are in a new town. The old you definitely kicked ass." They hugged one more time. "I'll call you later."

"You better," Riley sighed as she watched her best friend leave. She looked up at the stairs. She knew she was going to have to face her father eventually.

…………………………………

Lucas was sitting on the bed with his head in his hands. Peyton walked in and sighed. "Hey you okay?"

"I cannot believe she was that stupid and that reckless. What the hell was she thinking?"

"She made a mistake Luke, but it is not the end of the world."

"Oh it is the end of her world. She will never see sunlight ever again." He was extremely angry.

"I think maybe you should take sometime to calm down before you go talk to her. I wouldn't want you to say something you might regret."

He stood up from the bed. "I think maybe she should see how angry I am. She needs to know that her actions have major consequences, and I'm not gonna go easy on her."

"Lucas did you ever get drunk when you were her age?"

"Yeah," Lucas remembered getting drunk quiet often when he was her age. "But I never got arrested."

"Probably because the police never caught you," she told him. "What did your mom do to you? I'm sure she caught you."

"She grounded my ass."

"Okay but did she scream and yell at you or did she do it calmly?"

Lucas thought back. "This isn't about me and my mom Peyton. This is about the choices my daughter made last night, and I'm her father. I'm the one that has to teach her that she can't get away with that kind of behavior."

"I just think you are a little too angry to talk to her last night."

"Peyton I don't need you lecturing me on what kind of father I should be."

"Hey we're in this together. I'm just trying to help you."

"I don't need any help when it comes to my daughter."

"Well you haven't had a lot of practice," she yelled back and immediately regretted her words. "I'm sorry I shouldn't have said that."

Lucas didn't say anything as Riley walked into the room. She heard them fighting. "I don't want you guys fighting because of me."

"I thought I told you to go to your room." He said coldly.

"Lucas," Peyton was getting frustrated with him.

"I heard you guys fighting. I don't want you to fight."

"Well I didn't want you to get arrested, but we don't always get what we want now do we?" Lucas turned away from his daughter. "Now go to your room. I'll come in shortly."

Riley shared looks with Peyton and then did as her father requested.

Lucas walked over to the window. Peyton walked behind him and touched his back. "I don't want to fight with you. You are an amazing father Lucas, but we're in this together now, and we've got to trust each other."

He turns around, "I'm just so disappointed in her Peyton. She knows better."

"I know that Luke, and she knows she screwed up. And right now she needs you to talk to her and listen. I'm pretty sure that yelling at her isn't going to solve anything."

He kissed her forehead. "You keep me sane. You know that?"

"I try," she smiled.

"I'm gonna take a shower and then I'll go talk to her." He gave her one more kiss. "A shower always calms me down. You could always join me."

"It sounds tempting, but I think I'm gonna go pick us up some lunch. I'm starving."

"Good idea wife," he smiled.

"And please try not to kill your daughter while I'm gone."

"I won't." At least he hoped that he would be able to control his temper.

……………………………………………………

After his shower Lucas walked into Riley's room to talk to her, but she wasn't there. He searched the house for her, but he couldn't find her. His anger had somewhat gone away, but when he realized that his daughter had snuck out of the house it came back.

He was going to try to listen to Peyton and stay calm, but he couldn't anymore. Riley had really pissed him off.

………………………………………………………..

Riley found herself knocking on Owen's door. She really wanted to talk to him. He was always able to make her feel better.

"Hey," she said as he opened the door.

He didn't look happy to see her. "Aren't you going to invite me in?"

"I have enough people in my life that lie to me Riley. I don't need another one."

"What are you talking about?"

"I called looking for you this morning, and your grandma told me that you weren't home because you got into some trouble. She then wanted to know why I didn't get in the same trouble because we were supposed to be together." He shook his head, "You didn't have to lie Riley. I really thought you were better than that."

"It was Katie's idea. I didn't even want to go."

"Then you should have told her no. You are your own person Riley or at least you should be. I know Katie didn't like me, but I'm not going to sit here and blame her for your actions. You're responsible for what you did and the lies that you told."

"Owen," she was worried. "Please don't say that we're breaking up because I don't want that to happen."

"You should have thought about that before you lied to me." With that said he closed the door in her face.

Tears were rolling down her face. They hadn't really made a complete commitment to each other, but she was hoping that there was going to be a lot more to their relationship.

…………………………………………….

Peyton went to the local burger place to get some lunch for her family. She had a lot of bags in her hands and as she made her way to the car she struggled not to drop her bags. She ended up dropping her keys, and someone picked them up for her.

"Here you go," Sophie handed them to her.

"Thank…." Peyton froze as she realized who was standing in front of her.

"Peyton," Sophie couldn't believe that she was standing in front of her after all the years.

"What the hell are you doing here?"

Sophie didn't say anything. She walked away from her as fast as she possibly could.

"Damn it," Peyton knew that Sophie was only there to cause trouble.

………………………………………………….

Riley walked into the house. She knew that she was going to get it for leaving, but she really wanted to talk to Owen. That didn't go as she had hoped.

Lucas walked into the living room with his arms crossed. "Where the hell did you go?"

"I needed to talk to Owen."

"You are in so much trouble."

"I know."

"No I don't think you do know. I had calmed down a little until I found out you snuck out." He glared at her, "I cannot believe that you got drunk and then you got behind the wheel of a car. You endangered everyone that was on the road last night."

"I don't need a lecture from you okay."

"Well too damn bad because you are going to get one. I know you weren't raised this way."

"How the hell do you know how I was raised? You weren't around."

"I know your mother didn't teach you to drink and drive."

"She taught me a hell of a lot more than you did. You know the truth is you don't know me at all so stop pretending like you do."

"What happened while I was away? We had come to an understanding in our relationship, and we had gotten over the past. What changed your mind?"

She remained silent.

"I love you Riley and I always have, but I'm not happy with your behavior. If this is some form of rebellion it isn't going to work."

"Whatever," she heads towards the stairs, but he intervenes.

"I'm not through talking to you."

She rolled her eyes.

"Why did you get drunk last night?"

"I didn't plan too, but Katie thought we should go to a club, and it all went down hill from there."

"Katie is the reason you acted this way. She's not allowed in this house ever again."

"What? She's my best friend. You can't do that."

"I'm your father and I can do that. We were fine until she came here. Don't let someone change our relationship Riley because I love you very much, and I don't want you to ever forget that."

She didn't say anything.

"Needless to say you are grounded."

"For how long?"

"I don't know. I guess until I can trust you again." Lucas gave her a hug. "And you are going to apologize to your grandmother. You disrespected her in the worst way, and I'm not happy about it. Now go to your room, and unplug your lap top and leave your cell phone in my room."

"Fine," she walked upstairs.

Lucas was worried that they were taking two steps back instead of two steps forward in their relationship.

Peyton walked in with the food. "Hey honey let me help you with that."

"Thanks," she said quietly.

"What's wrong?"

Peyton pulled him into the kitchen. She was almost shaking.

"Peyton what happened?"

"I could barely drive home. I can't believe she is here."

"Who? What are you talking about?"

She had tears in her eyes. "Preston's biological mother is in town."

Lucas looked shocked. He didn't even know she was still alive. He held Peyton in his arms. Peyton only hoped that she would stay away from Preston. He didn't need a woman like that in his life, and she wasn't going to let Sophie ruin what they have.

Okay so here the drama begins. A lot of you figured out that Sophie was his birth mom. So good job. Actually you guys gave me the idea because at first she was just going to be an older woman who Preston had a crush on, but I change my mind all the time. So I hope you guys like the drama.

As for Riley she always changes her mind about how she feels about her dad when it is convenient with her. That is a way that she is going to grow throughout the rest of the fic.

Let me know what you think

And thanks so much for all the reviews, and for all of those who asked I had awesome vacation, but I'm very happy to be back. Vacations are fun, but coming home is fun too.