Episode 1 Ch.2 I don't want to be

The next morning Lucas woke up and rolled over to see that Peyton wasn't in bed. "Peyton," he yelled. He hated waking up without her by his side, but since his heart attack happened they barely woke up next to each other. She always woke up way before he did. She had so much that she had to do. It was like she was raising their children all by herself, and he hated that for her.

"I'm right here Lucas," she stepped out of the bathroom. "Is everything okay?" She spoke with her sincere wife voice.

"I'm fine. I just like seeing your face first thing in the morning."

"I'm sorry." She sat next to him. "I took Savannah to her friend Lacey's for the day. Then I took Charlie to his karate class, and after class he is going home with Greg's mom. She said that it was okay if he stayed with them until I get back."

"Where are the twins?"

"You're wonderful sister is taking them for the day."

Lucas smiled. "Did you tell her where you were going?"

"I told her that I was going to visit Elizabeth at school."

"But you didn't…" He always worried that the truth would come out.

"Luke you don't have to worry. No one knows where and what Elizabeth is really doing. And no one is going to find out." Peyton kissed her husband. "We have done a damn good job of keeping it a secret."

Lucas nodded, "I know. I just worry about her all the time."

"I know, but you don't have to. I have everything taken care of." Peyton reassured him.

"You're like superwoman. I hate that I've done this to you."

"You haven't done anything to me Lucas. I don't mind taking care of you. It is my job as your wife." She kissed him again. She walked back to the bathroom.

"Do I get to stay by myself?" He was a little excited. Peyton hadn't left him by himself in weeks.

Peyton placed a smirk on her face. "Nice try buddy…" she laughed. "Keith will be staying with you today until either Lily or I get back."

Lucas let out a grumpy sigh. "I don't need a babysitter. I'm a grown man." He always felt like he was being watched like a hawk, and he hated it. He wanted to feel like a man again. He wanted to have freedom, and it sucked that he couldn't.

"Need I remind you that not too long ago I found you passed out on our bathroom floor?" She gave him a glare. He didn't say anything. He just pouted. "I can't go through that again. I won't go through that again." She reminded him and walked into the bathroom to finish getting ready.

"Hey honey," he called out for her.

"Yeah," Peyton walked back out of the bathroom and smiled.

"Will you tell Elizabeth that I love her and I miss her?"

"Of course," Peyton nodded. She knew that it was hard that he couldn't see her. Elizabeth was going through a lot and she needed both of her parents. It wasn't fair that Lucas couldn't be by her side.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Lily, Natalie, and Lucy walk up to Summer's apartment. "Lily, I don't want to be here." Natalie complained.

"Will you hold me?" Lucy put her hands up in the air.

Lily sighed. She wasn't very good with kids, and she wasn't sure why.

"Please," Lucy begged.

"Can we go home?" Natalie complained some more.

"We aren't going home girls. I want to see my friend." She told both of them. She finally knocked on the door.

She is shocked to see Chase answer the door in his boxers. She covers the girl's eyes.

Chase laughs, "Lily," he yelled. "It is so good to see you." He hugs her after she takes her hands off of the girl's eyes.

"I still can't believe that the two of you are together. It is so weird to me."

"Lily," Summer screamed before Chase could say anything. "I've missed you so much."

Lily and Summer hugged as the girls and Chase watched.

"Mommy," a three and a half year old boy walked out of the bedroom. "I want some milk." He ran and jumped in his mom's arms.

Lily smiled. She had only seen him twice before, and he was absolutely a beautiful little boy. He had dirty blonde hair that was a little messy and big blue eyes just like Summer.

"Hey little man, what's your name?" She already knew but she wanted him to tell her.

"Andrew Robert Williams," he smiled. "But my mommy calls me Drew."

Drew was named after his grandpa Andy, and Summer's best friend Spencer Roberts. Lily already knew that. She really loved his name. It really fit him, and she was glad that he was named after Spencer. Spencer had always been really good to Summer and he deserved to be recognized for it.

"Well you are a very cute little boy."

"Thank you…"

"Drew, do you know that this is your Godmother?"

He nodded his head.

Lily was proud to be his Godmother. "And I promise that I'm gonna be around from now on."

"You're staying?" Summer was happy to hear that.

"Yeah…Tree Hill is my home."

"That's great Lily," Chase told her.

"Hey Chase will you take the kids to Drew's room? I want to talk to Lily."

"Sure," he said as he gave her a kiss on the cheek. Summer smiled. Chase had really been there for her. "Come on guys let's go play with Drew's toys."

"We're girls," Natalie informed him.

"Oh sorry…well come on girls and little guy."

"I'm a big boy Chase," Drew gave him an evil look. He hated being called little especially by Chase. He always wanted to be Chase's big boy. He really loved Chase.

"Sorry big boy…I forgot…"

"It's okay…Wet's go pay…" Drew ran back to his bedroom. Chase and the girls followed.

Lily smiled as she watched them walk into the back. "You look great." She told Summer as she sat down.

Summer followed suit. "Thanks…You don't look so bad yourself."

"So where's Jeremy these days?" Lily knew she had to ask the question.

Summer rolled her eyes. "I don't really want to talk about him."

Summer had carried Drew two weeks overtime. Andy thought that Drew stayed inside her a little longer because he was hoping his daddy would be there for his birth, but it didn't matter how long Summer carried him Jeremy wouldn't have been there.

He had gone to Wake Forest even after he found out she was pregnant. She had gone to the local community college and moved in with her dad.

The day that Summer brought her son home from the hospital was a very bittersweet moment.

"Are you okay sweetheart?" Andy asked his daughter as she held her newborn son.

"Yeah I'm fine. Could you take Drew up to the nursery? I just need a few minutes." Summer held back her tears.

"Sure," Andy took his grandson and walked upstairs.

Summer found her cell phone in her purse.

"Hello," Jeremy answered. He was dressed in his uniform.

"I brought Drew home today."

"That's great Summer."

They hadn't talked very much since he went to school. They had only seen each other twice since he left, and he wasn't even there when his son was born.

"Could you please come home? I need you." She was crying.

"I have a game tonight Summer. I'm sorry. Tell Drew I love him, and I'll come home as soon as I can."

"You know what Jeremy don't worry about it. I don't want you here." Summer couldn't control the tears running down her face.

"Summer I would come home if I could, but I can't. This is important to me."

"You selfish bastard, I never want to see you again." She hung up the phone.

Lily couldn't believe it. "I can't believe that he only sees Drew once or twice a month."

"I told him to stay away. Chase is more a father to him than Jeremy ever thought about being."

"Did the two of you ever get a divorce?"

Summer shook her head. "He won't give me a divorce. He says that he still loves me, but he has a really bad way of showing it."

"What does he do now?"

"I think he mostly drinks himself silly."

Jeremy tore up his knee the night that Summer brought Drew home. He spent months trying to get back on the court, but his knee wasn't strong enough, and he had to give up his dreams of playing basketball. Instead of turning to his family for help he started drinking.

Summer couldn't believe that her marriage was over. "We're supposed to go to court next month. Hopefully I will finally get my divorce."

"Do you think moving in with Chase is going to ruin things for you?"

"No my marriage has been over for years now. I love Chase. He's been so good to me."

"I think it's funny."

"Why do you think my relationship is funny?"

"Chase was the guy that tore our friendship apart."

"Yeah well you are happy and you don't need Chase."

"No but I am glad that he makes you happy. Both of you deserve happiness." Lily smiled. It was a weird relationship, but Summer did seem happy.

Chase walked into the room with make-up all over his face.

"Oh wow…"

"Yeah the girls wanted to play dress up." Chase sat next to Summer. "Are you okay?"

"Yes, I'm fine. I was just telling Lily how my marriage is over and I love you."

Chase smiled, "I love you too."

Lily watched as they shared a kiss. "How's your mom Chase?"

Chase shook his head. "She's going through a lot. She'll be happy to see you though."

…………………………………………………………………………………………………..

Brooke is working at her store. She spent more time at the office than she did at home. Things were a lot easier that way.

Her phone rang and she rolled her eyes as she recognized the ring tone. She didn't hear it very often, but that didn't bother her anymore.

"Hello…"

"Hey Brooke," Nathan spoke on the other end.

"What do you want?" Brooke asked coldly.

"I haven't called in a few days."

"Yeah I know. Trust me I know. So what do you want?"

"How's Hunter?"

"That's all you wanted."

"I'm worried about my son Brooke."

She was disgusted with him. "If you were really worried about your son then you would be at home."

"You know I can't do that. This is our biggest time of year." Nathan argued with her.

"I don't feel like this right now Nathan." With that said she hung up on him. She just couldn't take it anymore.

……………………………………………………………………………………………

A much older Hunter woke up in a cramped one room apartment. There were clothes and trash lying on the floor of the apartment.

This is not how he planned to spend his teenage years, but he just had to deal with it.

McKenzie Sawyer walked into the room. They had been dating since they were twelve years old. He loved her so much and he always had. Many people said that their relationship wouldn't last. They were way too young to be in a serious relationship, but Hunter knew that they were forever even at sixteen. Hell he even knew it when they were twelve, and he first met her.

He knew it now even more so because she was carrying his child. She was sixteen and pregnant.

"McKenzie, where did you go? You should have woken me up."

"I just needed to get out for a while."

"Did I do something wrong?"

"No," she choked back her tears. "You do everything right. You are the perfect guy."

"What's wrong?" He was really beginning to worry about his fiancé who was about seven months pregnant.

"We really need to talk."

Hunter could sense the sound of fear in her voice, and it scared him.

……………………………………………………………………………………

Brooke looks up when she sees Lexie walk into the store. "Hey Brooke…"

"Hey, you look worse than I do." Brooke remarked.

"Yeah well I was up all night taking care of dad."

"How is he?"

"He can barely do anything by himself. The nurse is with him now. She wanted to give me a break."

Richard had been in a car accident four months ago that left him completely helpless. He couldn't do anything by himself, and Lexie moved in with him so she could take care of him.

Brooke tried to help as much as she could, but she had a lot of other things to worry about.

"Richard doesn't deserve a daughter like you."

Lexie could sense that something was wrong with Brooke.

"Brooke, are you okay?"

"I'm fine Lexie. I'm just really busy. Could you possibly come back later or something?"

Lexie decided not to let it bother her. "Okay fine, but Brooke just know that I'm here if you need me."

Brooke just nodded her head. She just wasn't herself anymore.

…………………………………………………………………………………………….

Lily stopped by to see Jenny. Natalie and Lucy immediately ran into the house and found the toy room.

Lily and Jenny hug, but are interrupted by the cries of her two month old son, Nicholas. "Hold on…" She sighed. "Duty calls."

Jenny walked to the crib and grabbed her little boy. He just wanted to be picked up. "He's kind of spoiled." Jenny told Lily in a very frustrated voice.

"It's okay. Can I hold him?"

"Sure," Jenny handed Lily her son.

"Ma ma," another little boy walked into the living room.

"Come here Wesley," Jenny picked him up. He was two years old and he had dark curly hair. Nicholas had blonde curly hair. Jenny wasn't sure where they got their curly hair, but she thought it was the cutest thing she had ever seen.

"Aw…Jenny you have the cutest kids." Lily told her as she adored Nicholas.

"Yeah but sometimes I wish I would have waited."

"Jenny, what does that mean? Are you not happy?" Lily could tell something was wrong with her.

"I'm fine. I just didn't expect my life to turn out this way."

"Is something wrong with Rob?"

"No," she raised her voice. "Rob is wonderful and I love him. I'm just tired."

Lily nodded her head. She didn't know what else to say.

Jenny and Rob had gotten married soon after she proposed. He wanted kids right away, and she ended up dropping out of school and living off of his salary while she stayed home and raised the kids.

It was beginning to take a toll on her life and attitude towards things.

Lily's phone rang. "I've got to get this." She handed Jenny her son.

"I'm gonna try to put him down. He doesn't need to be held all the time." Jenny griped as she walked back to the crib.

"Hey…I'm so glad to hear your voice…I miss you."

……………………………………………………………………………………………

Okay so here is chapter 2. Things are being revealed little by little.

Just so you guys know McKenzie is Larry Sawyer's daughter that he adopted when he married his wife Grace. I didn't know if you guys remembered that. Hunter is going to be a really big part of this story. He wasn't really in the other three because I just couldn't figure out what to do with him because he was young and didn't really fit with the rest of the story. I'm pretty excited about his story now.

I was so excited by the response the first chapter got. I hope that you guys continue to review and let me know what you think. Thanks so much...