My Saving Grace

Chapter 13 Trouble Ahead

Sometimes life is just screwed up.

"Dad," Peyton was thoroughly confused. "This is your father?"

"Unfortunately, yes," Lucas answered. "What are you doing here?"

"I already told you why I was here."

"You have a daughter?" Lucas couldn't believe that he had sister.

"Julie is my wife's daughter from a previous marriage. Her father is still apart of her life so I haven't adopted her. But I do have a daughter with my wife. She's four."

Lucas was disgusted with the man that stood in front of him. He always had been.

"I care a lot about her though, and that is why I am worried because she didn't come home."

Dan's phone rang, "Hello. Okay good I'm on my way." He hung up the phone. "Your son brought Julie home. You better hope he didn't do anything to her."

"Preston is a good kid. He wouldn't do anything to her." Peyton told him.

Dan nodded and walked outside. Lucas followed him. Riley and Peyton both looked at each other. They had no idea what was about to happen.

"Why are you back in town?"

"I made a lot mistakes Lucas."

"Leaving us was the best thing that you could have ever done."

"I've regretted that decision every single day. I came back to Tree Hill because I wanted to apologize. I want be apart of yours and Nathan's life. I want the two of you to get to know my new family."

Lucas shook his head, "No way in hell. You abandoned us. We don't want you nor do we need you."

"Lucas it is important to me to be apart of your life. I'm a different man. I'm a better man, and I think if you get to know me you will see that I am a good man now."

"You lost your chance the moment you left us. Mom was devastated. You crushed her, and there is no way in hell that I'm gonna let you do that to us again."

Preston walked up on the porch. He knew he was in trouble. "Preston."

"Hey dad I can explain."

"Just get inside."

Preston walked past Dan. "Is Julie okay?"

"Yeah she's fine. I promise nothing happened."

"Thank God considering that you are related." Dan told him.

Preston was shocked. "What? We're not related. She's not my mom."

"She's technically your Aunt."

Preston looked at Lucas. "It is a long story."

"She can't be my Aunt. I don't understand."

"Just go inside Preston." Lucas demanded. Preston did as he was told.

Peyton saw him come in. "Thank God," she hugged him. "I was worried about you."

"I'm sorry mom."

Riley smiled.

"Why are you smiling?"

"Because for the first time I didn't do anything wrong. It kind of feels nice."

Peyton gives her a look. "I'm gonna go to my room."

Peyton pointed to the living room, and Preston dropped his head and walked in there. Peyton stepped outside. "Luke, why don't you come inside?"

Lucas was staring at Dan. "Keep your daughter away from my son."

Lucas walks inside with Peyton. "Where's Preston?"

"In there." She pointed, and they walked in together.

Preston is on the phone. "I'm so sorry. I know everything is crazy here too. I had really fun with you last night."

Peyton and Lucas make a noise, and Preston turns around. "I've got to go. I'll talk to you later." He hangs up the phone fast. "Mom, dad…." He was nervous and stood up.

"Sit down," Peyton said harshly. "For starters hand me your phone."

"Oh come on mom I can explain."

She held out her hand for the phone. He finally gave it to her. "Start explaining. I can't wait to hear how you are going to explain this."

"We went to the lake and we fell asleep."

"Yeah right." Lucas didn't believe him.

"Nothing happened I promise. Julie isn't that kind of girl, and you guys know I'm not that kind of guy."

"I don't care if nothing happened Preston. You still stayed out all night, and you aren't going to get away with that. I didn't even know that you had a date. You told me you were going to the library."

"I did go to the library for a little while, but Julie was with me."

"I don't mind you dating, Preston, but I don't like the fact that you lied to me about it." Peyton was upset with him.

"You can't see Julie anymore." Lucas told him.

"What?"

"I don't want you to have anything to do with her."

"That's stupid I don't understand. We didn't do anything wrong."

"Her step father happens to be my real father."

"So what does that have to do with us?" He was becoming upset.

"I don't want you any where around them."

"Mom," he complained.

"Why don't you go to your room? We'll talk about your punishment later."

Preston shook his head. "You can't keep me from Julie."

"I can I will Preston."

Preston didn't say anything. He went upstairs.

"Lucas I think we should talk about this."

"He can't see her. Dan is a bad guy, and I don't want my son anywhere near that man."

"Lucas we can ground him all we want, but if he wants to be friends with Julie then we can't stop him."

"We're the adults, and he has to listen to us."

"He's a teenager Lucas."

Lucas takes a deep breath, "I need to get some air."

"We need to talk about his punishment."

"He's grounded." Lucas walked out of the house, and Peyton shook her head. She hated when Lucas acted that way.

………………………………………………….

Owen and Riley are hanging out by his pool. "I can't believe that your grandpa is back in town, and your brother is dating his daughter."

"I know right. It is kind of soap operish if you ask me."

"Kind of?" He laughed. "You guys could star in your on soap opera."

"Yeah well at least the drama in my family isn't about me."

"I know it is about time. You always are in the spot light."

"My dad was so mad that Dan was in his house. He looked like he was going to hit him or something."

"Well didn't you say the man abandoned him when he was nine? He has no right to come back after all these years and expect your dad to welcome him with open arms."

"I think my dad would be a hypocrite if he didn't let his father back into his life."

"What?"

"My dad left me when I was five, and the only reason he is even back in my life is because my mom died. At first I wanted nothing to do with him, but I'm glad that I gave him a chance and I got to know him. I would have totally regretted it if I wouldn't have. And I think he might too."

……………………………………………..

Lucas knocked on his brother's door. "Hey little brother, what brings you by?" Nathan laughed because Lucas was still in his pajamas which consisted of sweats and white T-shirt.

"Dan," he said with absolutely no expression on his face.

"Come again," Nathan thought it was some kind of joke.

"It seems like our father is back in town."

"Is it April fools or something?"

"No, this is definitely not a joke. We have sisters."

"We have sisters?"

"Yeah one is just his step daughter and the other is like four years old."

"Oh," Nathan couldn't believe his ears. He walked outside with Luke. "I can't believe this."

"Yeah that's what I said."

"Why did he come to your house?"

"Preston and our step sister stayed out together all night long."

"Oh wow."

"Yeah," Lucas agreed.

"What are we going to do?"

"I know exactly what I'm gonna do. There is no way in hell that I'm going to have anything to do with him. He doesn't deserve the satisfaction." Lucas was sure of his decision.

Nathan nodded his head. "How did he look?"

"He looked like the same ass whole that left us all those years ago. I can't believe it. He said he came back to town because he wanted to get to know us." Lucas clinched his fists. "I hate to disappoint him but he had our whole lives to get to know us. He just missed out."

Nathan didn't say anything. He wasn't sure how he felt about the situation.

……………………………………….

Peyton tried to call Lucas' cell phone, but heard it ringing in the other room. She realized that he left without taking it with him.

She then heard a knock at the door. "Karen," Peyton smiled.

"Hi I hope you don't mind me coming by. Is everything alright?" Karen could tell that Peyton was upset.

"Um well actually is has been a pretty eventful morning so far."

"What happened? Are you and Lucas fighting?"

"No, I don't think so. You might want to sit down for this."

"Uh oh," Karen had the sound of fear in her voice. "I think I'll stand."

"Your ex husband is back in town."

"Huh?"

"Dan Scott is back in town."

"Oh," Karen looked as if she was going to pass out. "I think I will sit."

Peyton sat beside her. "Luke is pretty upset about it."

"How did he find out that he was back in town? What happened?"

"Dan stopped by this morning. He didn't realize that we lived here. Preston and his step daughter got into a little trouble, and he was looking for them."

"He has a wife?"

"Yeah at least I think so. I think he has another daughter too."

"Wow," Karen couldn't believe it. "I can't believe that he is back. I haven't talked to him since the day he signed the divorce papers and told me he was leaving."

"I know this is hard for you. It probably wasn't my place to tell you."

"No, no I'm glad that you told me. I just wow this is a lot to take in."

"Yeah Lucas left."

"He probably went to see his brother. Did Dan say if he was back for good?"

"The way it sounded. It seems that way. I'm so sorry Karen."

"I don't really know how I feel about this to tell you the truth. I think I'm gonna go."

"Oh Karen you don't have to go. You can stay and we can talk. You can wait for Luke."

"I just need to be alone Peyton but thank you." She gave Peyton a quick hug and walked out of the house.

Peyton walked upstairs to talk to Preston. She opened his door to find that he wasn't in his room. Her blood was boiling. She wasn't sure where he was, but she had feeling of who he was probably with.

………………………………………………

Preston and Julie met at the River Court. "Hey," he hugged her.

"Hey."

"I don't have very long. I'm sure my mom is going to check on me soon."

"Yeah me either. Are you grounded?"

"I'm sure I am. What about you?"

"No," she smiled. "Dan and my mom just said that I better never do that again. Dan had his mind on something else. I'm not sure what it was. He didn't say."

"I think it might be the fact that my dad is his son."

"What?" She was confused like everyone else.

"Yeah, and Lucas hates him. He told me I wasn't allowed to see you."

"I know we're not blood related, but is our relationship legal?"

"Did Dan adopt you?"

"No my real dad is still part of my life sometimes. He didn't want Dan to become my father legally. My last name is West. I probably should have told you that before we started kissing and all."

"I probably should have told you my last name was Scott. It could have possibly cleared all of this up."

"So is this legal?"

"I think so. Lucas is my adoptive father anyway. I want it to be legal."

She kissed him. "It feels legal. You have to talk your dad into letting you see me."

"I don't care what we have to do Julie. Our relationship isn't going to end because of my dad's past or your dad's past. I'm not sure which one is getting in our way."

"Everything is always so complicated."

"I know tell me about it. I didn't think there was anyway in the world that we could be related. I guess I was wrong."

"We'll figure this all out."

He kissed her. "Preston Scott."

He jumped when he heard his name being yelled at him. "Mom."

Julie looked at him innocently. "I should go." She gave him one last kiss and walked away.

"What were you thinking?"

"I was thinking you would look at the library first."

"Ha, ha very funny, take a seat."

They walked to the bleachers. "What has gotten into you?"

"Nothing," he told her.

"Something has. You aren't like this. You don't lie to me and sneak out. That is not in your character."

"I really like Julie, mom. She's incredible."

"She looks like a sweet girl."

"Then why can't I see her?"

"I didn't say you couldn't see her."

"But dad did. He was pretty adamant about it."

"You're right he was, but I'm sure after he calms down he will change his mind."

"So you don't care if I see her?"

"No I don't care, but I think that you should listen to your dad for a while."

"But…." He started to complain.

"You're going to be grounded for the next month anyways so it shouldn't matter. Maybe I can calm him down and show him that his hatred for his father has nothing to do with you before your sentence is over."

"A whole month?" he pouted. "I'm a good kid."

"That's why it is a month. I don't want you to think that you can get away with things like this because FYI you can't."

Preston sighed, "I know, but it was never my intentions on falling asleep. We were just watching the stars together."

"Well you can watch the stars from your bedroom window for a while."

Preston smiled. At least his mom was funny.

……………………………………………………………….

Lucas walked in the house at almost the exact same time as Riley. "Hey," she said. "I need to talk to you."

"Riley can't this wait. I need to go put some clothes on, and I have already had a pretty bad day."

"Only because you're letting it be a bad day."

"What?"

"Almost a year and a half ago the father that left me when I was five came back into my life."

Lucas was listening.

"I wasn't too happy about it because I hated him for leaving me without a father, but with time I gave him a chance. I let him prove to me that he wasn't the man that left me, and that he deserved to be apart of my life again." She paused.

"I'm so happy that I gave him a chance because it has been so worth it."

"This is nothing like that Riley."

"Our situations are exactly the same just add a few years. You left me and although it was hard I finally let you in." Riley touched his shoulder. "Maybe Dan isn't the man that left you. Maybe he is, but if you don't give him a chance to explain in the end I know that you will regret it. I know I would have."

"Riley," he shook his head.

"Everyone deserves a second chance. No matter how hard it is to give them that second chance."

Lucas didn't say anything. Deep inside of his heart he knew that his daughter was right.

"Even though it took him a while he did finally come back."

"But what if he is everything I remember him to be, and I do end up regretting letting him in?"

"That's the chance you take. My story had a good ending. Maybe yours will too. You never know dad until you try. Instead of you being like Dan maybe Dan can be like you."

She hugged her father. He held onto her tightly.

"How did you become so smart?"

"Experience," she laughed and he hugged her again.

Lucas wasn't sure what he was going to do, but he did realize that for a while he was Dan. And Riley was right. Maybe this was Dan's chance to make up for all the mistakes he made just like Lucas was able to do with Riley.

Okay there it is. I liked it, but i don't about you guys.

I wanted to say thank you so much for all the reviews for the last chapter. Some of you were surprised about Dan and some of you weren't. I can say that one of you has figured out this story pretty well. So good job. I just don't want to say who.

Let me know what ya think.