CHAPTER 28

'Dad?!'

'Hey honey, wondered when you were gonna answer this door.' Larry smiled.

Peyton stood completely motionless in the doorway, the door open just enough so Larry could see her head. She inwardly groaned at what she was wearing and even more seeing as Lucas was lying in the bedroom wearing a lot less than she was. More than that though was the sheer fact that her father was in Tree Hill, why? Her heart dropped, her stomach churned and she suddenly felt faint. Surely, surely he wasn't coming to take her back to LA so early?

'So am I allowed in?' Larry asked, his smile faltering. He knew she'd be surprised, but he hadn't expected her face to drain of colour and the pain that flashed across her eyes.

'Oh…sure.' Peyton said opening the door, the mist that Larry knew so well was over Peyton's eyes before he could really take a good enough look, the defences he'd witnessed so many times flung up around her like a brick wall. Larry stepped through frowning slightly as he took in her appearance. The hoodie that was so obviously not hers was cemented by the fact that printed across it was Keith Scott's body shop… and her hair which, even though it was always curly, looked particularly unruly today. Peyton pulled Lucas' hoodie down subconsciously as her father's eyes scrutinised her, she hadn't even thought it would be anyone other than Nathan, Haley or Brooke and never in a million years had she imagined it would be her father.

'Do I get a hug?' Larry said smiling again quickly.

'Sorry.' Peyton said giving a nervous chuckle and wrapping her arms tightly around her father. Larry breathed in and the faint smell of men's cologne hit his nostrils, his frown deepened and he held her at arms length. Peyton gave him an embarrassed smile and murmured quickly, 'So what're you doing here?'

Lucas chose that particular moment to call through his door, 'Peyt?'

Oh really wasn't what she needed right now and as her father's frown deepened she knew that he was piecing things together. His eyes swept the room and landed on Lucas' top lying on the floor, Peyton's also lying on the floor down the hallway which was just about visible from where he stood. Larry's frown deepened so much that his eyebrows seemed pulled together completely. She picked up the top quickly trying to look as if this meant nothing to her, she briefly considered telling him that it was hers, but it was so blatantly not that she couldn't lie.

'Shall I make you a cup of tea?' Peyton asked tentatively.

Larry seemed to deflate slightly and nodded. Peyton sighed with relief, now all she needed was for Lucas to be quiet. Again, he picked his moments and said,

'Peyt, are you there?' Peyton swallowed hard and willed him to shut up with her mind.

Larry looked at her as if expecting her to say something so Peyton opened her mouth to speak but nothing came out; she just looked like a fish as she tried to say something.

Then she saw a movement out of the corner of her eyes and her head flipped around to see Lucas walking towards her with a pair of low slung jeans hanging loosely on his hips and pulling a t-shirt quickly over his head. At any other moment Peyton would have thought he looked hot, but now really wasn't the best time to be thinking that. His face turned from a smirk to a look of concern, almost matching her father's frown, she knew that her face must show complete panic but he carried on walking up the hallway.

'What's up?' He asked, his hands resting on her waist as he kissed her forehead before cupping her cheeks tenderly. She couldn't seem to move a muscle but as Larry cleared his throat, Lucas jumped about a foot in the air. He whipped around and felt his mouth drop and his cheeks go bright red.

'Mr Sawyer!' It was half an exclamation and half a groan.

'Scott.' Larry gritted out. He had enough sense to know what was going on here, everything fitted together perfectly… the hoodie that Peyton wore, the clothes on the floor, Lucas' movements that were definitely more intimate than those of a friendship. Peyton's hair was the nail in the coffin, he'd seen it countless times when she'd been frustrated and ran her hand through it a couple of times. It looked exactly like he remembered it and the thought didn't comfort him in the slightest.

A movement from Lucas earned Larry's gaze. Larry watched as the boy planted himself far away from Peyton and himself, actually by the door, like he was about to just run.

He looked so embarrassed that Peyton felt sorry for him, she took a quick look at her father and put her face in her hands not wanting to look at the judgemental look on his face or the 'let the ground swallow me' look on Lucas'. The silence stretched on for longer and longer and the teenagers grew even more apprehensive before Larry said,

'I thought you were making me tea.'

Peyton let out a breath she didn't know she'd been holding and said,

'Right, yeah!' and turned to the cupboard. She went to open the door but still had the t-shirt in her hands. Completely stuck she hesitated a couple of times before Lucas quickly took it off her and without daring to look at him she started busying herself arranging three cups, assuming that Lucas wanted one too…she felt too embarrassed at the moment to ask. She did it loudly, so as to try and ease away the silence. However it just stretched on and on until she'd made the tea. She carried the three cups to the table and placed them down, giving her dad a cup.

'Scott, come and sit next to me.' Larry said and Lucas' eyes widened as he took a fleeting look at Peyton, who gave him the shadow of an uncomfortable shrug.

Lucas took his cup and sat down gingerly next to Larry, while Peyton sat opposite him on Larry's other side. Lucas and Peyton had drunk half of their cups of tea in about a minute, their tongues scalding with each sip of the hot liquid, just for something to do. However Larry just kept looking between the two as if he was forming a plan.

Peyton decided to break the silence when she realised that neither of the other two were going to break it.

'So how come you're here Dad?'

'Well, it was your birthday wasn't it? And we docked at Tree Hill, so I'm here for today. We leave late tonight. Anyway Happy extremely late Birthday honey.'

Peyton was relieved to hear her dad speak normally, it then occurred to her that he might have been just as embarrassed as them and didn't really know what to do in the situation. It didn't make it any less disturbing that this was the way Larry had found out about their relationship.

The door opened suddenly and in walked Karen surprised to see them all sat at the table to quietly.

'Larry! Hi.' Karen said beaming as Larry rose to hug her. 'How are you? What're you doing here?'

While they talked, Lucas looked at Peyton, giving her his best 'I'm sorry' look. She nodded, to show she'd accepted and he smiled weakly as she crossed her legs underneath the table. To be honest Lucas was still shook up about it, hardly the best first impression to make of yourself to your girl friends father,

Karen turned to them moments later and said, 'You two are being unusually quiet.'

Lucas and Peyton locked eyes with Larry, faces stricken but Larry kept quiet as Lucas cleared his throat.

'We're fine.' He said smiling.

'Would you like any tea?' Karen asked.

'It's all right Karen, the kids made me some.' Larry smiled again. Peyton didn't like the way her father pronounced the word 'kids' as if he was emphasizing it and so she frowned at him, he raised his eyebrow at her as though daring her to say a single thing and she looked at the table again quickly, now wasn't the best time to disagree with her father.

'So I was wondering whether I could spend the day with you Peyt, I go again tonight but I thought you could show me around Tree Hill, you've lived here for a few months you've got to know some of the best places.' Larry smiled and turned to Karen, 'If that's all right with you, that is?'

'Oh don't be silly, of course it is.' Karen beamed and Larry smiled too turning back to Peyton.

'So what do you think?'

'Erm sure.' Peyton said plastering a fake smile on her face.

'Right, well go and get some decent clothes on and then we'll go.'

Peyton winced a little as she stood up, Karen was frowning slightly at her and Lucas and their obvious attire of clothing. Peyton tried her best to ignore it and get out of the kitchen moments later. An awkward silence remained and Lucas rubbed his neck embarrassedly knowing that Larry was watching him. After a few minutes he got up too and said,

'I'll come and help you at the café this afternoon then mom.'

Before walking down the hallway and slipping into Peyton's room, she was pulling her hair into a messy pony tail. She turned when she heard him,

'Is it wrong that I want to spend the day with you?' She stated.

'No.' Lucas sighed, 'But Larry is your dad and you haven't seen him for months.'

'I know that, argh now I feel totally childish and selfish…' Peyton said placing a hand over her face. Lucas reached towards her,

'Peyt.' He smiled. 'I want to spend time with you too, trust me. But it's a couple of hours and tonight we'll spend together I promise.'

'Sorry.' Peyton mumbled, 'I just leave soon and-'

Peyton turned around and Lucas' heart broke a little upon seeing the slight tears in her eyes, he pulled her quickly into his arms hugging her tightly. 'I know.' He said quietly. A few minutes later Lucas cupped her cheek looked into her eyes and gave, what he hoped, was a reassuring smile. She matched his attempt and they knew that the other saw through their façade.

'This is Tric.' Peyton said as she opened the door, Karen had given her permission to show her father the café and the club because she knew that Peyton was itching to show him TRIC especially.

'Wow.' Larry answered.

'I know, it's pretty awesome full of people and music. The atmosphere's amazing.' Peyton nodded a grin unfurling her lips as she looked around at the place that grown so familiar over the months, Larry looked at his daughter with a smile, he always thought that Peyton would fit well into the music scene. She wasn't particularly musical, all his fault apparently, but her passion made her just as talented.

'So Karen owns this and the café?'

'Yep. She's quite a worker.' Peyton chuckled.

'She is.' Larry agreed.

A silence loomed over them as Larry looked around and Peyton sighed, she knew he wanted to ask her something but was deliberating and she also had a feeling to what the question might be. Usually she would have asked him about it, but she let it go because she really didn't want to answer any questions about Lucas.

'So…' Larry deliberated. 'You and Lucas… what's going on there?'

Peyton sighed again swearing in her head, she just knew her father was going to ask that and she didn't blame him, after all she was his daughter but then again she didn't want to talk about her love life with her father.

'We're… well, we're…' She hesitated knowing that her father was hanging onto every word. 'We're… in a relationship.'

She saw out of the corner of her eye her father purse his lips.

'When did this happen?'

Larry's voice sounded pretty steady so Peyton relaxed a little.

'I liked him pretty much as soon as I got here, but we didn't start anything until about two months ago.'

'So what does this relationship entail?' Larry asked and there was a definite note of judgement in his voice.

Peyton looked around, her eyes a tight squint in a sudden burst of annoyance, 'We're real. Not some sort of fling you know.'

Larry snorted, 'As real as two months could actually be.'

Peyton felt like hitting him, she wasn't a child; she knew what she wanted so why was her father belittling something that was so important to her?

'I don't care what you think.'

'Good, because I have half a mind to take you back to LA right now.'

Peyton turned her head so fast she appeared to crick her neck, her eyes were wide with horror, 'You wouldn't.'

'I don't like it Peyton. I don't like the fact that you're… fooling around with this boy.'

'We're not fooling around and the boy has a name dad.'

'How do I know that he isn't taking advantage of you? And after what I witnessed this afternoon it could easily be the case.'

Peyton couldn't help but laugh in disbelief, 'Can you hear yourself? I'm eighteen years old! Seriously two and a half months ago who was telling me what a nice son Karen had? You!'

Larry mumbled something with a frown that sounded like, '…didn't know…sleeping with my daughter…' Then he seemed to change direction quickly, 'Well what about Jake?'

'Dad that ended six months ago.'

'And you've been caught up about it for months.'

'No I was caught up about it. I got over it Dad. I'm with Lucas.'

'But you loved Jake!'

Peyton ran a hand through her hair frustratingly, 'You don't have to accept it dad. It's happening either way and it's going to carry on happening with or without your consent. Karen knows and she's fine with it so I don't understand why you have such a problem-'

'Karen knows?!'

'Yes, she found out about a couple of weeks after we got together. We told her, together as a couple, because that is what we are.'

'And she's okay with it?' Larry asked.

Peyton hesitated, 'Well it took her a while to get used to but I think she's fine with how everything's worked out now, yes.'

This seemed to have stopped the constant flow of questions and Peyton breathed a sigh of relief. That hadn't been too bad. Although the fact that her father thought she and Lucas were some sort of 'friends with benefits' kind of thing made her a little indignant, they were a lot more than that.

Hours later and Larry hugged Peyton tightly,

'I'll see you in eight days all right?'

Peyton nodded not trusting herself to speak, 'Love you dad.'

'Love you too honey…and…' Larry hesitated, a red tinge lighting his cheeks slightly and looking away quickly.

Peyton gulped and Lucas tensed beside her, they were both sure they were about to get another sex talk and one was definitely more than enough.

'Just…honey, just be careful, all right. I know you're technically an adult…but… I want what's best for you.' Larry said, his eyes squinting at Lucas almost threateningly and then finally resting on Peyton.

'I know Dad.' Peyton smiled giving her father's hand a squeeze, he smiled lightly and winked before setting off back down the drive where Karen was waiting by the taxi.

'I have a bone to pick with you.' Larry said, but with a smile. 'Lucas and Peyton are a couple…'

'So she told you huh…' Karen muttered sheepishly.

Larry considered quickly, 'In a round about way yes. Are you really fine with it?'

'What can we do? They're adults and truthfully Lucas hasn't been this happy in a long time, I'm not going to take that away from him and I'm pretty sure the same thing goes for Peyton.'

Larry turned his head back up the path, Lucas' arms were wrapped around Peyton's waist, hers around his neck as they both grinned at something one of them had said, it was true that they only had eyes for each other. Larry sighed,

'You might have got that right. I just… I don't want them getting in too deep. Peyton's coming back to LA in mere days.'

Karen smiled sadly and inclined her head back up the path where they saw Lucas kiss Peyton's forehead affectionately with a smile, tucking a curl behind her ear before they both looked back at their respective parents.

'I think it's a little too late for that.'

Larry pursed his lips, taking a quick look at the couple again before turning back to Karen, she shrugged and said,

'How was I meant to stop it really Larry? The heart wants what it wants.'

Larry's shoulders slacked slightly and he took another glance at the teenagers behind him. Karen smiled slightly and said,

'You'll get used to it.'

Larry nodded and gave her a smile before calling, 'Bye Peyt…' Adding in a slightly strained tone, 'Lucas.'

Lucas looked surprised as he released Peyton's waist, 'Bye Mr Sawyer.' He called and Larry gave a quirt nod and a wave before he got into the taxi and it sped off. Peyton turned back to Lucas and let out a laugh at the completely shocked look on his face,

'Dork.' She muttered.

'Hey, it was so much easier for you, your dad can't kill you cause you're his daughter…me on the other hand, I thought I was dead, for sure.'

Peyton giggled into his chest as he pulled her against him, she hadn't realised that a simple move like that could make her never want to leave the security of his arms ever again.

I've tried to post this chapter since Monday but something's been wrong with the login, but yay its back!! :) I'm really missing OTH but then again the rumours about a Season 7 with or without all of the core 5 are getting to me! Surely they can't do a season 7 without all of the five, and i've heard stuff about Lucas dying and Chad and Hil not coming back... ahhh my mind is messed up & i feel really tense lol I didn't realise how much i love this show until now, especially all of the main five and LP in general i just want them to have a happy ending!

Anyway the promo's that i've seen look crazy!! Especially the one with just LP, drama about the baby! It'll be pretty good hopefully, but i can't believe Peyton could die by having the baby!!!! Ahhh OTH world is crazy right now and there's no actual episodes out, its quite funny.

Anyways i hope you like the chapter, thank you to everyone who reviewed the last chapter, and the 26 before that :D!