A/N I'm so sorry for the major delay in updates- inevitably my life finally got in the way! I'm sorry, things are going to be a bit crazy for a while- what with family stuff and going back to school.

'Mr Scott, step away from Mr Banks please'

Lucas was panting. He could see Nathan and an inspector through his peripheral vision. He could see them waiting with bated breath, preparing for his unpredictable behaviour.

Ian was slouched against the wall, his face a bloody mess, but even in his dreadful state he still managed a malicious smirk.

Lucas let him go abruptly and he staggered, slipping down the hard surface.

'That's it son, step away' The middle aged inspector persuaded gently.

Lucas did as he was told. In retrospect his brash actions didn't seem wise. He couldn't go back to prison. He couldn't. His family needed him. He'd been selfish. He'd taken physical action, that wasn't what was required. He needed be calm, he needed to use his mentality not his fists. It was just a hell of a lot easier said than done.

'I'm sorry' Lucas exhaled at the official, flexing and unflexing his bloody fingers.

'Aren't you going to fucking arrest him. Look what he's done!' Ian moaned dramatically from his spot on the rough carpeted floor.

Nathan was tempted to kick the vile creature in the face, he was near enough to do so but managed to keep himself restrained.

'Arrest him, look what he's done!' Ian exclaimed, annoyed by the lack of stern words being transpired, he was waiting for his attacker to be pushed up against the wall and charged.

Lucas was fully expecting just that to happen, he wasn't expecting the officer's next words.

'I believe it was in self defense'

'Self defense, I'm cuffed how was I ever going to fucking touch him?' Ian retorted in disbelief.

The officer looked past Ian, answering as he smiled, a sincere apologetic smile at Lucas. 'Perhaps not but that's not what the file's going to say. It was self defense'

Lucas was definitely not use to this kind of treatment. He wasn't use to people siding with him, letting the rules slide for his benefit. But this man before him obviously new of the case, he new of all the happenings and was currently looking at him with such admiration and sincere sympathy that Lucas found himself deeply touched.

'Thank you' Lucas nodded gratefully. 'Thank you'

'I'm sorry for all you've been through Mr Scott. I think on this occasion I can look past what just happened. Don't let me see you here again though, you understand? Justice will be served, a life in imprisonment will be his minimum sentence, I assure you of that'

'I'm going to sue-'

'Be quiet Banks' The inspector cut off. 'Be quiet'

'Hi P Sawyer' Brooke spoke softly as she approached her best friend's bed.

'Hi' Peyton's lips curved into a sad smile as she eyed the back of her oldest daughter.

'Erin wanted to come see you-'

'You don't have to indulge me Brooke. It's okay'

'I'm not indulging you. She's been tugging on my arm for the last two hours.' She sat down, turning a shy Erin so she was facing Peyton. 'Haven't you missy?'

Erin stuck her thumb in her mouth, looking up at Peyton with an inquisitive expression. Peyton looked back with her own wondering stare. This wasn't the same child she'd left behind and she wanted that child back. She felt like she'd lost her parental rights to this young life.

Brooke's voice garnered Peyton's attention.

'Where's Luke?'

'I, I don't know, he ran out. Brooke I...'

'Yes?'

Peyton shook her head absently and Brooke's every last modicum of optimism evaporated along with the small motion.

'Sweetie you can talk to me' She reached for her friend's hand, struggling to keep her emotions in check. She really hated how little it took for the tears to arise, she was trying to be strong, she really was.

Peyton didn't answer. She couldn't talk to the brunette. She couldn't.

'Nothing. I, I think you should go'

'What?'

'Erin shouldn't be here in the hospital. I don't want her here'

'But we just got here'

'Go, please go'

'Peyt-'

'Go'

Lucas had just arrived back at the hospital and was less than impressed to find Peyton's room occupied with two inspectors. He felt guilty for leaving her here on her own and instantly furious that the authorities couldn't leave her alone for more than five seconds and he was quick to let them know just that.

'Good afternoon sir'

'I told you to leave yesterday, I told you she's not ready for this. Don't you people have any compassion-'

'Lucas I had them come' Peyton muttered. 'I just want to get it over with' She admitted quietly.

His brow knitted together. She wanted to talk to them? 'Okay, but Peyt you're not up for this-'

'I am' She argued. 'I am, just, just, please leave'

'Leave?'

'Yes' She ignored the hurt look on his face, she wasn't intentionally pushing him away. She was protecting him. She didn't want him to punish himself like she knew he already was. She didn't want him to know the details of everything that had gone on. She didn't think she could bare it. In later days she'd regret her decision. He needed to know, he needed to know every last detail so they could get past this, together.

But he left. He nodded solemnly and left. With his departure she felt a mixture of relief but mostly she felt more alone than ever.

She wasn't the Peyton Scott they had all loved and known, there was this unwelcoming barrier between her and her family.

It was silly, she thought, that the aloneness she'd felt while in Ian's captivity didn't even compare to the horrible loneliness she was experiencing now.

It didn't matter that she'd hated him. Ian Banks was clever. He'd created this bond with her. Albeit it wasn't a healthy relationship, a forced relationship, a hated relationship, but it was a relationship all the same. He'd forged this binding connection with her that no one would ever be able to understand or comprehend. It was nonsensical. She'd spent near to two years with him and he'd always have those days, moments and experiences, she'd never have them back. She'd done things that had her hating herself and left her guilt ridden, things that she never wanted to discuss with anyone and she'd already had the sickening notion that it would all just be a hell of a lot easier if she'd never picked up that phone and dialled Brooke's number, if she were back in that isolated house, just her, Sawyer and Ian.

She spent near to two hours answering questions. She didn't flinch in her responses. She told the truth, nothing but the truth. But her sense of the truth was somewhat distorted. Ian was portrayed as not quite the evil man that he really was. He didn't hit her, in fact, according to Peyton he'd never hurt her.

When the subject turned to that of the missing Grace Lorrie she froze.

Grace.

'Did you ever meet Grace?'

Peyton opened and closed her mouth. 'I don't, I'm not-' She hesitated.

'Peyton it's important that you tell the truth'

'I am' She said indignantly. 'I am. I knew Grace'

'You did?'

'Yes I did. She, she saved me. Sawyer was breech, I was in labour and she came, she came and saved me, saved us. She delivered Sawyer'

'What happened to Grace Peyton?'

'I, I don't know'

'You don't know?' The officer repeated dubiously. It seemed pretty obvious that this woman wasn't exactly clear on what was fact and fiction, either that or she wasn't willing to discuss the matter.

'I don't know'

'Peyton, Grace has a family, a family that's worried sick, that needs to know where she is. She has a son'

'She left' Peyton muttered wearily.

'She left where?'

'I don't know'

'Do you know Michael? You met Michael, he's friends with Ian right?' The inspector tried a different approach.

She nodded.

'He's come forward Peyton, he says you told him that Ian killed Grace. Grace is dead isn't she Peyton?'

'She left' Peyton repeated cryptically.

'How did he kill her Peyton?'

'She left'

'Did you see where he put the body?'

She closed her eyes and saw the vivid image that she'd tried so desperately to repress. Grace's limp body was lying on the floor, blood soaking into the cream carpet. Her eyes snapped open.

'There was so much blood. Sawyer was screaming' She whispered staring blankly before her.

'She was your friend'

Peyton slowly shifted her head. 'She was beautiful. She helped me and I, I just let her go'

'You couldn't help her. It wasn't your fault'

'I, I'd like to stop now' She blinked away her tears and in an instant the cold blank expression reappeared on her gaunt face.

'Okay' The officer's nodded, they wouldn't push her. 'You did really great Peyton, thank you for speaking to us'

She gave a curt nod.

'We'll speak to you again soon'

Lucas shot up from his seat when the two inspectors appeared in the hospital corridor.

'Is she okay?' Lucas fired them with a disapproving look.

'Yes Mr Scott, we're finished for today. Although we'd like for a psychiatrist to come down and talk to her'

'A psychiatrist'

'The line between fantasy and reality is a blur. You're wife's ideas of what's gone on are somewhat vague and-'

'She's not crazy'

'I'm not suggesting that she is Sir, I'm suggesting that she's been through a traumatic time and that talking it through with a professional would be beneficial' He ushered Lucas away from a grieving couple and lowered his voice. 'We're certain that Peyton witnessed Ian Banks murder a missing middle aged woman- Grace Lorrie'

'Murder' Lucas choked out. 'Who, who is Grace Lorrie?'

'A midwife that disappeared nearly a year ago from New Orleans. Michael Smith has come forward and told us everything he knows. He said Peyton had told him that Ian had killed her. Peyton has just clarified that Grace helped deliver your daughter but she won't actually verbalise that Ian killed her'

'She's scared, god, she's scared. Can't you see that?' Lucas exclaimed.

'We understand Mr Scott, I assure you we realise that this is difficult but the sooner we manage to gain evidence we'll be able to put this man behind bars, which is what we all want. We're on your side Mr Scott'

Lucas took a shaky breath. It was understandable that he was having issues with trusting anyone. He struggled to know who he could and couldn't relie on. All he wanted was what was best for Peyton.

'I'll speak to her doctor about having someone come speak with her'

'We'd appreciate that'

'What, what else did she say?' He shifted his feet and crossed his arms.

'As I said, we're struggling to determine what's gone on. The doctor's have given us a report on all of her injuries and the abuse she's been subjected to but she's denying that Ian has ever laid a finger on her'

Lucas closed his eyes.

'It's common for victims of abuse to be in denial Mr Scott. People try and justify why someones hurting them and quite frequently end up believing that they deserve it'

'Is, is this going to effect Ian getting put away?'

'I can't go into detail but what I will say is that the likelihood is no, we've got a substantial amount of evidence from Michael Smith and along with the doctors reports Mr Banks will have difficulty with getting out of being sentenced, but with the help of a Psychiatrist we may be able to gather some important facts and not only that I think it will help Peyton recover emotionally from this' The inspector patted Lucas' back. 'We'll be in touch Mr Scott'

Lucas nodded and then they were gone. His feelings concerning the police had changed dramatically in the last few hours, they were clearly trying to help and he felt like he wasn't quite so alone.

He stood in the corridor for a long while, worry seeping through him.

He was worried about a lot of things. Mostly he was worried about Peyton, he was worried about everything the police had just said about her ideas of what had gone on. He was worried about his children. He was worried about how long they were going to be here and at the same time he was worried about taking them all back home. He was worried that they'd never be the same.

He walked back into her room and tried to get rid of the grave expression that he knew was on his face.

'Hey you' He greeted, immediately noting the tears on his wife's cheeks. 'Baby what's wrong?' He hurried over to the bed. 'Are you okay?'

She shied away from his touch and blinked furiously. 'I'm fine, I'm fine' She muttered, her eyes narrowed with annoyance.

'Okay' He gingerly sat down. 'Is this because the police'

She shook her head.

'Because they were asking you about Grace?' He decided to do his own investigating.

Her stare jolted up from her pale hands. 'What?'

'Grace Lorrie, the inspectors just told me about Grace'

'Don't say her name, you didn't know her. You don't know anything' Peyton exclaimed angrily.

'Peyton' Lucas exhaled sadly. 'I'm not trying to upset you'

She closed her watery eyes and they both sat silently until Lucas could no longer stand it.

'I'm sorry I ran out earlier'

'It doesn't matter' She whispered quietly.

'Yes it does. I didn't mean to do that, I didn't want to, I don't want you to think...' He trailed off, licking his dry lips. 'I just needed some air. It was nothing to do with you'

She looked up at him through her wet lashes.

'You don't have to apologise, I get it'

He wasn't sure that she did get it, but her hand outstretched for his and he was some what distracted with the wonderful warmth of her skin to argue. He ran his hand over the hard plaster covering her arm and looked at her questioningly.

'Does it hurt?'

She shook her head. 'Itches' She smiled. 'Itches a lot' She admitted. She scanned his tired face. He looked exhausted, he looked perhaps as ill as she was sure she did. 'Lucas why don't you go get some rest'

'I'm not leaving the hospital'

'I'm not going anywhere, I'll be here when you come back. Take Sawyer and go get some rest'

'Sawyer'

'Yeah' She nodded, she wanted her youngest little girl out of this horrible place.

'Don't you want to see her and Erin meet?'

'No, I, I don't' She said adamantly.

'I think-'

'Please, I don't want to'

She couldn't and wouldn't explain to him what she was feeling. She'd never been one for opening up. Lucas had been one of few to break through her wall of armour, one of few that she'd let into her heart but she'd rebuilt that wall and it was twice as thick.

'Peyton'

She shook her head. This was her defense mechanism. Avoiding the inevitable, ignoring everything that sooner or later she'd have to come face to face with.

She didn't want to watch her two children meet. She didn't want to see their void little faces. She didn't want to see the confusion and misunderstanding.

Erin would be able to make sense of what she was told. She would be able to apprehend that Sawyer was her sister.

But Peyton new the one year old wouldn't be able to even fathom the concept of what a sister was. She wouldn't understand, of course she wouldn't. In her world a family consisted of three things and three things only; her mummy, her daddy and her.

Peyton didn't want to cause any more drama, she didn't want Erin to suffer any further but this wouldn't be something that would be easily accepted and she didn't want to be the one to watch the six year old get upset. She'd already looked into those green, green eyes so much like her own. She'd seen the mistrust on her daughters face, the dislike and she didn't want to be there to witness it again. No, it would be much better if Lucas did this by himself.

'Ok' Lucas relented dispiritedly.

'You must have been here for nearly seventy two hours now. You need to sleep. Go'

'I'll, I'll be back in a couple of hours'

'You don't have-'

'I'll be back' He interrupted firmly. She was pushing him away, he wasn't blind but he wasn't going to let her. He'd give her space but he wasn't going anywhere. He'd be back. He'd be back in a couple of hours.

Lucas fumbled with the electronic key card, eyes attentively on the little girl in his arms. She'd cried most of the short journey to the hotel and he'd felt completely useless. He was her father, he was meant to be able to comfort her.

He'd rung Haley, he'd warned them that he was going to come back for a few hours, that he was bringing Sawyer with him.

Nathan had filled in his wife and Brooke.

It was the first good news they'd had. Brooke had been put out after her encounter with Peyton earlier in the day but this was promising news. Sawyer was Lucas' and the mood concerning the one year old had changed significantly. Both Brooke and Nathan had been terrified of what her existence would mean for their friend's relationship but now, for the first time in a long, long time, they were all excited.

The two women had left Erin with her uncle and spent the majority of the afternoon buying the necessary baby accessories they'd need for the journey home. Brooke may have gone a little overboard with the amount of clothes she'd purchased, but clothes were, after all, her great passion and spending large amounts of money was just her way of dealing.

When Lucas walked through the door, Brooke was fussing over the mechanisms of a buggy and Erin was watching curiously.

All eyes darted up and the click of the door.

'Luke' Nathan stood. 'We weren't expecting you back for a while yet'

'Peyton was tired' He explained quietly. He wouldn't say that it was evident his wife didn't want him there.

'Erin' Brooke husked 'Sweet girl, Daddy's got someone he'd like you to meet'

Erin's focus was already on the little stranger in her Daddy's arms, arms that right now she wanted to be in.

Lucas crouched down, his attention solely on Erin Scott. 'Darling this is Sawyer'

She held her hand out and Sawyer's small fist curled around her big sister's forefinger.

'Erin, Sawyer's your little sister'

The six year old understood that. She understood what sister meant but that didn't mean she wasn't surprised or confused. That's not how things worked. She was pretty certain of that. Daddy's didn't just come home with a smaller child and announce that they were your sibling. She'd known a little boy at school, his mum had had another baby and the baby grew in her tummy and took nine long months to arrive and she was diddy for a long time.

She shook her head a little to show her understandable confusion.

Lucas pulled her forward a step. 'Yes Erin. I know this is hard for you to understand, but Sawyer's been living with Mummy'

Perhaps it wasn't the best way to try and explain Sawyer's sudden appearance. Erin didn't like this. Her mummy had left her, abandonned her and replaced her with a cute little girl.

She easily pulled her hand away from an entertained Sawyer and sprinted from the room into the hotel bedroom.

Lucas sighed, getting to his feet. 'Well that went well' His hand drifted up and down Sawyer's chubby little arm.

'Here let me take Sawyer. You should go talk to her' Brooke decided abruptly. She wanted to be the one to run into the ajoining room and comfort the little girl that she was quickly realising she'd become too attached to. It was Lucas' job to go in there though. 'Luke'

'Ok' He handed Sawyer over and hovered anxiously, waiting for the one year old to start wailing again but she didn't and Lucas was more than grateful. He had a pounding head ache.

He ignored his friend's concerned faces and trudged into the room Erin had disappeared into.

She was crying, sobbing her little heart out into the bed sheets.

'Oh sweetheart'

She pulled the sheet up over her head when he laid down beside her.

He pulled her into his chest and she tried to scramble away but he held her tight and she soon stopped struggling free.

'It's okay baby, every thing's going to be okay' He cooed softly over and over again. It took her a long while to calm down and during that time Lucas realised that he had no choice but to make this all okay for Erin, for Sawyer and for Peyton. 'I promise I'm going to make thing's right again baby' He whispered into her golden hair. 'I promise'