5 Years Later
The little brunette jumped up and down on the large bed, which was empty, except for the figure covered by the blanket. "Mommy, Mommy, Momma, it's time to wake up!" the six-year-old squealed, causing the blonde to pull the blanket up over her head. This didn't deter the little girl, though, who flopped down on her butt, getting off the bed for a brief moment so she could pull the blanket off the bed completely before getting back on the bed and jumping once more.
This caused the blonde to groan and, without opening her eyes, her arms shot out, grabbing the little girl by the waist and pulling her down next to her, wrapping her arms around the small body tightly, not letting the squirming girl get away. Then, without warning, she began tickling the little girl, causing her to squeal with laughter as she futily tried to squirm away. The blonde sat up, shifting so that she was on her knees on the bed, kneeling over the little girl, tickling her senseless.
Neither of them noticed the figure that sauntered up to lean in the doorway. "Jen, I told you not to wake her up," he scolded his daughter from the doorway, startling both of them. The blonde and the young brunette both stopped in their movements to look for the source of the voice. Jake was leaning against the doorjamb, in a pair of worn pajama pants and a tee-shirt, staring at his two favorite women with a smile on his face. He had been admiring the way Peyton's long curls cascaded toward the bed, and the happy smile on her face as she bonded with his daughter.
Oh, and he might have been admiring her rear in his boxers as she inadvertantly stuck it in the air as well. With a knowing smirk, Peyton sat her butt down on the bed, knowing exactly what her husband had been looking at. She refrained from saying anything, only because of the little ears in the room, which happened to be in the form of the little girl she considered her own, Jenny. The six-year-old was now jumping on the bed again, now that she was no longer being tickled.
As Peyton pulled her hair back, standing and walking over to their dresser, picking up an elastic for her hair and wrapping it around the pony tail, missing, of course, one curl, which fell in front of her eyes. She reached up and tried to tuck it behind her ear, but a second later it was in her eyes again. With a roll of her eyes and a sigh, she turned to her family. "Now, why exactly are we up this early in the morning, on the oh-so-sweet first day of summer, when I was supposed to sleep on my first morning of freedom?" she asked teasingly, briefly eying her husband before turning her gaze on the little girl.
Taking a step closer, Peyton knew what was going to happen when Jenny started jumping closer to the edge of the bed. She opened her arms obediently as the girl jumped into her arms. "Daddy made breakfast, Momma, and I wanted to say good morning to my little brother or sister," she said innocently, melting the blonde's heart with her wide-eyed gaze, the same gaze that had been winning her over for years. She set the little girl down, and the six-year-old instantly started talking to Peyton's slightly protruding stomach.
Running a hand through his hair, Jake closed his mouth. He had opened it to scold his daughter for jumping on her pregnant mother like she had, but at her complete innocence, he couldn't bring himself to admonish her. Instead, he shared a smile with his wife of almost five years. "I told her not to wake you. I mean, it is the day after your graduation, after all. This little rugrat would hear nothing of it, though. She insisted Mommy and baby would want to eat the celebratory breakfast I made you before it got cold," he explained, ruffling his daughter's hair as he stepped closer to his wife.
The little girl between them harrumphed and looked up at her father, moving her head out from under his hand. She put her ear up to Peyton's belly, pretending to be listening intently, then she looked up at her parents with her wide brown eyes. "My little sibling would like to tell you that he or she would rather have the food when it was still warm, and microwaved food is just not the same as a freshly-cooked breakfast," she said with a confident nod of her head.
Unable to control her giggles at the brunette's smart comment, Peyton brought a hand up to her mouth to at least stifle them. She knelt down to Jenny's level before Jake could pick his jaw up off the floor. "Alright, Bug, you best get to the kitchen. Daddy, Baby and I will be there in a minute," she said, patting Jenny's butt as the little girl fled the room. She straightened, placing her hand on her belly protectively as she did. "I'll never understand where she gets her energy in the morning," she said fondly as she watched the girl.
Finally getting over his shock, Jake kept his gaze on his wife. He grabbed her by the waist and pulled her close to him before she had a chance to realize what he was doing. She looked so gorgeous pregnant, he couldn't help but kiss her. "I know she doesn't get her energy from you, but we both know exactly where she gets that smart mouth from," he said when they broke away, Peyton's arms now around his neck. He was teasing his wife, but he did know it was true.
Narrowing her eyes at the brunette, Peyton pulled away. She stuck her tongue out at him. "Just for that, you don't get to come with me to my appointment today," she said, managing to keep her voice sufficiently stern as she pushed past him, headed for the kitchen. The smells were finally reaching their bedroom, and the baby was definately hungry, she realized. He grabbed her wrist and pulled her into another kiss before she could make it two feet.
As Peyton let herself get lost in the kiss, she forgot that he had kind of just insulted her. She forgot that she was hungry, and that she had just been woken up way earlier than she had wanted. She forgot that she had just graduated from art school. She allowed herself to forget everything. Until her stomach growled. They both heard it, and they laughed against each others lips as they stood there, wrapped in each others arms. "I'm going to that appointment," Jake said huskily against her lips before letting her go.
Rolling her bright green eyes, Peyton just shook her head, walking out of the room and stopping in the bathroom to pee and brush her teeth. When she made it to the kitchen, Jake and Jenny were each digging into their food, and there was a plate of food for Peyton sitting in front of the chair next to Jake. She sat down, suddenly ravenous, and dug into her food with vigor. She noticed the amused look her husband was giving her. "What?" she said, her mouth full with the bite of egg she'd just shoved in.
Jake laughed and reached out, wiping ketchup from the corner of her mouth as she swallowed the egg. She raised an eyebrow at him, waiting for an explanation for the laughter. "I love you, you know that," he told her, holding her gaze as Jenny continued to eat, oblivious to the moment going on between her parents. After a moment Peyton shrugged and continued eating. "I just don't understand where you put all that food," he added, watching her clean her plate.
Once her plate was clean, Peyton decided to answer him. "I'm eating for two, Mister, and what's your excuse?" she asked, pointing to his plate, which had been just as full as hers. She didn't even give him a chance to defend himself, though, before she continued. "You just really don't want to find out the sex of our baby, do you? If you keep this up, you're not ever going to find out," she threatened, glaring at him as she stood, taking Jenny's plate as the girl finished, but purposefully leaving Jake's plate behind.
Standing in front of the sink, Peyton washed the dishes, ignoring Jake as he came up behind her. She could hear the distinct sounds of the TV in the family room, and knew that Jake had sent Jenny to watch it. "If you think sending our daughter into the other room will get you out of trouble, you're wrong," she said. She wasn't really mad at him. It was just her overactive hormones. They both knew that, but Jake was going to make it up to her anyway.
Stepping up behind her, he wrapped his arms around her waist, kissing her neck. "I love you, wifey, and I really really want to find out what we're having. So, can you forgive the fact that I can be an insensitive jackass, so we can go to your doctor's appointment?" he asked, his voice low as his lips were just centimeters away from her earlobe. She could feel his breath on the back of her neck, and, just like that, he was forgiven, just like he had intended, no doubt.
Turning in his arms, because she was finished with the dishes, she smiled up at him. "I love you, too," she said simply, reaching up to place a chaste kiss on his lips before pulling out of his grip, heading upstairs. He called her name, and she turned back toward him in the doorway. "What? I've got to take a shower to get ready for my appointment. In my opinion, you should too, because, no offense Mr. Jagielski, you kind of stink," she teased, keeping a straight face.
Cocking an eyebrow at her, Jake took a step closer. "Oh, Mrs Jagielski, do you think so?" he asked and she nodded. "Well, in that case, I guess you'll have to shower with me, to make sure I get clean, you know," he said, completely serious. Peyton couldn't take it, and she burst into giggles as she turned, running upstairs with him hot on her heels.
~*~
There was a knock on the door, just as Peyton finished getting Jenny ready, after getting ready herself. "Guess your Mom's here, Jen," she said, kneeling down by the girl, much like she always did before Nikki took Jenny for whatever reason, whether it was for a week, or just an hour. "Hey, you know you'll always be my best girl, and, after my appointment today, you'll know whether you get a brother or sister," she said with a smile, which was returned. "I love you, kid" she said, as she heard Jake greet the woman they had managed to become friends with.
Smiling, Jenny wrapped her arms around Peyton's neck, squeezing her tight. "I love you, too, Momma, and I hope I get a little sister. Boys are icky," she said, and Peyton laughed, just as Jake called for Jenny. The little girl let go and Peyton stood, grabbing her backpack of stuff so she could stay the weekend with her birth mother. "You promise to call me as soon as you get home from the appointment, right?" she asked as Peyton led her to the front door.
Nodding in affirmation, Peyton greeted Nikki as Jake said goodbye to his daughter. Then she took her spot, nestled beneath Jake's arm, as they stood in the doorway, watching until Nikki drove away. When the car was out of sight, they retreated back into the living room, to just sit on the couch in each other's company until they had to go to the appointment. Jake got out his guitar, and Peyton pulled out her sketchbook, but neither of them could really concentrate, because both of them were too excited for their appointment.
Even though the drive would take them ten minutes, tops, they ended up leaving half an hour before their appointment time. As they sat in the waiting room, Jake's leg bounced up and down and Peyton chewed on her lip as she checked her e-mail on her phone just for something to do. When the nurse called her name, they both jumped out of their seats. Well, Peyton as fast as a five-month-pregnant woman can jump up. Jake put his hand on the small of her back as they headed for the examination room.
After the initial questions, and examinations, Dr. Garza got out the ultrasound machine. Jake squeezed Peyton's hand in excitement as her shirt was lifted and the cold gel was squirted on her stomach. As the doctor used a transducer to locate the baby, she noticed the look on both parent's faces. It was a look she had seen on many expectant parent's faces. It was a combination of excitement and apprehension. "Ah," she said as she got the perfect view of the baby, and it's parts. "Well, would you like to know the sex of your baby?" she asked, though she knew the answer.
She laughed when both parent's exclaimed an affirmation. "Well, look at the screen," they did as she instructed, "and say hello to your little girl," she finished, and the young married couple beamed with delight. Dr. Garza took a few pictures with the ultrasound and printed a couple out for the parents, turning off the machine and handing Peyton a towel to wipe off her stomach. "I guess I'll see you next month. Everything looks perfect with your little girl," she said.
The couple beamed at each other before Jake helped Peyton off the table and out of the room, after they thanked the doctor profusely. They may have already had a daughter, but Jake couldn't wait to see the little girl that-he hoped-would look just like Peyton. Peyton was just excited her baby was healthy. Okay, and if she admitted it, she was ecstatic to be having a girl. She hoped that the baby was the perfect mix of them both, and she knew that Jenny would be pleased that she was getting a little sister.
After making an appointment for the next month, the couple walked to the car. Peyton felt like she was floating on air. She couldn't believe she was this happy. She planned on opening her own gallery in Savannah, and maybe even teaching art at the local high school. Jake still had his music-though he still only played at bars, despite the fact that she knew he could get produced-and he coached the basketball team at the high school. They already had Jenny, and now they would have the new little girl. She couldn't wait to tell her father. And Jenny, and even Nikki.
Surprisingly, Nikki and Peyton got along really well now that Nikki wasn't trying to steal Jenny away. They had worked out a nice custody agreement, and then the two women couldn't see why they couldn't be friends, seeing as they didn't really know any other women their age in the whole town. Peyton knew that Brooke and Lucas were engaged, and had been for about a year, but not because she had been called by either of them. She still kept up with Nathan, and sometimes Haley, through the occassional phone call, and that was how she knew, even though she hadn't seen them in years.
Actually, if she could remember right, the last time she'd seen them in Tree Hill was when she'd shown up at their graduation. It had been so awkward for her, though, becuase she couldn't stop thinking about what Jake had said the night they'd gotten engaged. Due to that, she'd stayed away from Lucas, and, since Brooke was practically attatched to Lucas, she didn't really hang out with Brooke that day either. After that, the e-mails with Brooke had stopped, and there had been none with Lucas to begin with. She'd seen Nathan the year after that, when he'd unexpectedly visited her after he won his second championship game.
For about a year after that they'd exchanged weekly e-mails and monthly phone calls, during which she would talk to Haley, too, but those had tapered off to monthly e-mails, and then those had tapered off, too, and she realized she'd only e-mailed him a handful of times in the last year. She still called him when something big happened, but the phone calls had tapered from monthly to a couple times the year before, and then this year she'd only talked to them once. They always inadvertantly avoided the topic of Lucas and Brooke, not becuase Peyton couldn't handle it.
It was just a kind of taboo subject between them. The only time they'd mentioned those names was when she had learned that they were engaged, and she knew she'd hear about the wedding, if it were to happen. They just focused on Nathan and Haley, and, of course, on James Lucas Scott. The little boy she'd yet to meet, and she hated herself for that. She wanted to take a trip to Tree Hill to meet the little boy, and even to meet Lily, but she just hadn't yet. Yes, she knew about Lily. They talked about Karen all the time, and Peyton definately kept in contact with the woman she thought of as her third mom.
As Peyton drove her Comet home, she had one hand in Jake's and the other elbow resting on the car door as she let her hand rest on the wheel. About two minutes into the ride, she really wanted to call Jenny, so she plucked her phone out of her purse, dialing the number and setting the phone in her lap as it rang. She was coming to a four-way intersection, and stopped at the red light. When Jenny answered, she shouted at the phone. "You have a baby sister!" she shouted, as the light changed and she began to make the turn.
Shouting, Jake reached out to grab the steering wheel, but it was too late. The driver who had ran his now-red light crashed into the passenger side, and he was going so fast that Peyton's Comet nearly wrapped around the telephone pole on the corner on the driver's side.
A/N: Thanks for the reviews for the prologue. Your reviews really do inspire me to write. Someone mentioned putting in Lucas's views on things back when Peyton left. Well, he just missed her like a friend, because he was still hiding from his feelings for her by staying with Brooke. Brooke never broke up with him the second time, because Peyton never told Brooke that she was in love with him. Peyton went to the second Naley wedding, but she was already engaged to Jake, and denying her feelings for Lucas. Everything after that is what's different. Brooke and Lucas just kind of got caught up with their own lives, and didn't keep in contact with Peyton. Tell me what you think, and let me know if there are any questions you have by pressing that green button. You know you want to!
Disclaimer: I don't own anything.