Sitting in the waiting room, Peyton just couldn't stay seated any longer. She got up and started pacing back and forth. They had loaded Lucas-and Haley, because she needed to be checked out after having a baby-into the rental car, with Nathan driving, and Peyton had gotten into her Comet to follow. She just wished she had been able to convince Chris to stay at Nathan and Haley's. She was stuck in the waiting room with him now, because Nathan had gone back with Haley and their baby while they were getting checked out.
Grabbing her arm as she passed him again, Chris tried to get her to stop pacing. "Hey, Goldielocks, I know I don't know much about your situation, but that's the third time I've seen you unconsciously grab your stomach in pain, and we've only been here for thirty minutes. Do you think you might be going into labor too?" he asked, cautiously, because he knew that Peyton got edgy when stressed, and he really didn't want to get slapped by a pregnant woman.
Running her hand though her hair, Peyton shook her head. She just couldn't believe that she was going into labor. She was too early, and Lucas was in the hospital room. She was feeling light-headed, too. She needed to sit down again, but before she could sit down, she fainted, almost falling to the floor, but Chris managed to catch her before she hit the floor, calling over a nurse and getting her into a wheelchair as one was brought over.
When Peyton opened her eyes, she saw Lucas first, and she was flooded with relief first that he was okay, and then she began to worry about the baby, her hands moving to rest on her stomach. He saw the worry in her eyes and he stood, reaching out to take her hand. "It's alright, Peyton, you had Braxton Hicks, nothing to worry about. You only fainted because you haven't eaten all day, and the stress of delivering a baby and worrying about me. Our baby will be fine," he reassured her.
A tear leaked from her eye and she realized how scared waking up in the hospital had made her. She remembered the last time she had woken up in the hospital, when she had lost her baby, and she hadn't wanted to relive that experience. She knew then that she really was happy with what life had given her, and she wanted to try to get off her medications, although she wasn't going to let anyone know that. She was going to try on her own, and if she failed, she didn't have to tell anyone.
OTH OTH OTH OTH OTH OTH OTH OTH OTH OTH OTH OTH OTH OTH OTH OTH OTH OTH
When Peyton's due date came, she had managed to wean herself off her medications, and she was beginning to feel like her normal self again, the way she had been before any of this had happened. She knew that she wanted to be with Lucas forever, but she hadn't found the moment to tell him that she changed her answer to his proposal. She thought that maybe she could tell him once she had the baby, but the baby did not seem to want to come. She had an appointment to induce labor in a couple days if she didn't go into labor on her own by then.
Putting down her sketchbook, she looked down at her stomach, patting it. "I love you baby, but it's time for you to meet the world. I need you to get out of Mommy's stomach. You've been giving me pains all day, so I only hope it means you're actually coming today," she started speaking to her stomach as she rubbed it, but then she just fell silent, listening to the record she was playing and just thinking. She knew it had been a long hard road, but she was ready to give her all to Lucas, and she knew he was ready too. It was a long time coming.
Bringing her out of her thoughts, there was a knock on the door, and Peyton looked up in time to see her brother coming into the room. She smiled and gestured for him to come in. She had seen him quite a bit in the month since he had gotten home, and they were continuing to get closer. He was the only one she had confided in about the fact that she had stopped taking her pills. He fully supported her, and he knew that everyone else would too, though he made sure to emphasize that they all loved her no matter what.
Walking into the room, he gave her a hug before grabbing a chair and moving it next to her bedside, although he didn't sit down. "So, how's my very pregnant sister today?" he asked, but didn't really give her much of a chance to answer. "I know, you're ready to get the baby out, and stop being a fat couch potato, and all that. I actually came by because I have something to tell you, though," he said, standing next to the chair with his perfect posture.
That alone told Peyton that what he had to say was important to him. She noticed when he got nervous, or wasn't sure of what her reaction to something was going to be, he stood up straighter than normal. He was relaxed most of the time-well as relaxed as someone who had been trained to have perfect posture could be-and when he wasn't she knew something was up. "Well, since this is so important to you that you have to stand up to give me the news, I'll ignore the fact that you called me a fat couch potato," she teased, trying to loosen him up. "Seriously, you can tell me anything," she added.
Smiling a little, his posture relaxed a tiny bit. "Yeah, well you know that I only said that because you call yourself that all the time," he shot back, before getting serious again. "Well, I just wanted to let you know I've met someone. I've been seeing her for a month now and I really like her. I haven't known her long, I mean, it's only been a month, but I hope she'll be in my life for a long time, so I just wanted to tell you, since you're my sister," he said, watching her to see her reaction.
Surprised that he had been so nervous, Peyton broke into a grin. "Well, that's great, older brother. A little surprising, because I've always seen you so serious. I was beginning to wonder if you'd ever be anything more than a military man," she joked, but then spoke more seriously. "Honestly, Derek, I'm happy for you. You know you don't have to be nervous to tell me anything, but that does make me realize how much you like this woman," she broke off.
Grabbing her stomach in pain, which had been on and off all day, Peyton didn't get to say anything else. She felt a wetness between her legs this time, and she knew that this was the real time. She straightened when she could and looked at her brother, who now looked concerned for her. "My water just broke. Go get Lucas," she said, and she didn't need to say anything else before he left the room, searching for the other blond.
When Lucas and her brother came back in the room, she was up out of bed and headed for the door. She looked at Lucas with a smile. "Well, are you ready, Daddy? Let's get going," she said, gesturing to her stomach so he would jump into motion. He did, grabbing her overnight bag, which they had prepared a week ago, and lending her his arm as he helped her outside and into the car, with Derek following them outside, and then getting in his own car and following them to the hospital.
While they were getting Peyton situated in her room, Lucas called Haley and Nathan, and then Jake and Nikki. He also called his mom, who had arrived in town just days before. Larry was out to sea and wouldn't be able to get into town for at least another month, but Lucas called and talked to him, assuring him that they would call once he was a grandfather. He hesitated before making one more call. He knew that the two hadn't made up yet, but he knew that this could be the chance for them to make up.
Almost as soon as he got off the phone, the nurse came to lead him back to Peyton's room. He smiled when he opened the door and saw her there, wearing the hospital gown now, getting ready to have their baby. He walked up to the bedside, getting there just as she had another contraction. She grabbed his hand and squeezed it harder than he ever expected she could squeeze. He endured it, though, because for her he would endure anything, and he knew her pain was going to be a lot worse.
A little while later his whole family had arrived, and Lucas went out to update them, although not much had happened yet, and he noticed that the person he had called last had not arrived. He only hoped that she would show up eventually as he went back into the room. He held Peyton's hand, and let her call him names as the night continued to drag on. It was almost dawn when he went back into the waiting room again, and he noticed that Haley was asleep on Nathan's shoulder, Nikki and Jake were talking, and Karen was talking to Andy on the phone.
Everyone looked hopeful when they saw him, but he just shook his head. "Maybe you guys should go home and get some sleep. I mean, you all have kids at home, and I promise I'll call you guys when the baby arrives, but that might not be for a while, and Peyton says you guys should get some sleep," he said, but got a resounding no from everyone. Haley said she had left Lydia Peyton-LP for short-and James with Deb, and she was going to wait until her niece or nephew was born. Jake and Nikki both insisted upon staying, too, because they had left Jenny with his parents. Karen just sent him a look, that said she had left Lily with Andy and she wasn't going anywhere until she got to see her grandchild. Derek also wasn't budging.
So Lucas went back into the hospital room, and, luckily, it wasn't that much longer before Peyton gave birth to a beautiful baby girl. He was amazed and ecstatic, and exhausted from staying up all night, but he knew that whatever he was feeling, Peyton had to be feeling it to a much bigger extent. He leaned down and kissed her head as she held their daughter for the first time, before the nurse had to take the baby to be cleaned and weighed. He was just going to go and alert their family, but Peyton grabbed onto his arm and pulled him back to her.
Biting on her lip, she knew what she had to do, but she was scared he'd say no. She gathered her courage anyway, though, because she knew what she wanted now, and she was almost positive that he wanted it just as much as she did. "Lucas, I'm ready," she said. He quirked an eyebrow at her, unsure of what she was talking about, but before he could question it, she went on. "I'm ready, Lucas. I know what I want, and it's you, forever, and our family. I'm ready to be your wife," she repeated.
At the look on his face, she knew he was happy, but confused, because he didn't know what had changed between when he had first asked, and now. She laced her fingers through his and pulled him closer. "I love you, Lucas Scott, and I've weaned myself off of my medication. I feel like myself again, except even better than before, and I know that the reason I'm better is because of you. I want you and our little girl, and possibly more children in the future, but mostly I want it all, and I know that I want it all with you," she pulled him into a kiss.
Both blondes got lost in the kiss, and he had to remind himself that she had just had a baby, and they couldn't just stay on this hospital bed making out for hours, because they had family in the waiting room, family who would probably want to know about the little blonde girl that had just been born. He had to pull back, but there was something he wanted to do first. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a box, opening it as he looked at her.
Gasping, Peyton felt the tears well in her eyes, but she knew they were happy tears, and she stayed silent as she waited for him to talk. "Peyton Elizabeth Sawyer, I know we are going to be together forever, and I know we both have been through a lot to get here, you especially, but I believe everything happened the way it did so we would end up right here, in this place and time. I want you to become Peyton Scott. Will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?" he asked, looking into her green eyes.
Grinning widely, she could do nothing but nod, and she held out her left hand. He took the ring out of the box and slipped it on the third finger. He then brought the hand up to his lips and kissed it, putting the box back into his pocket. "I had a feeling you would be ready once you saw our child, the life that we created together. I knew I would be. So I brought the box, and I planned on asking you again. I'm so glad you said yes," he said, and then kissed her again, before pulling away, and going to get his family, just as the nurses came back in with their daughter.
Entering the waiting room, Lucas told everyone there was a new Scott in town, and he showed everyone back to the hospital room where Peyton was. He had hoped the last person he had called would have showed up by now, but they hadn't, so he was just glad he hadn't told Peyton he had made that call. She was holding their daughter when he came back in, and everyone rushed up to the bed, but Lucas hung back, by the door. Her eyes sought him out, anyway, as everyone cooed over their daughter.
When Nikki brought up the ring, he stepped forward, coming up to her side and taking her hand, but she was the one who spoke. "Yes, it looks like you two aren't the only ones who are going to be tying the knot soon," she confirmed for everyone, and everyone congratulated them, of course, but since no one had expected otherwise, the little pink bundle was soon the center of attention again, as Karen took her granddaughter from her soon-to-be daughter-in-law.
Once everyone had gotten to hold her, the tiny girl was in Lucas's arms, and everyone was just getting ready to leave when the door to the hospital room opened, revealing a brunette that shocked everyone into silence for a moment. Haley snapped out of it first, and said she had to get home, and then there were murmured excuses, and one last round of congratulations for the blondes before their family began to leave. Derek was the only one who stayed, and from the way Brooke and Derek stared at each other for a moment, Peyton knew that Brooke was the woman Derek had been telling her about earlier. "You're dating my brother," she couldn't help but blurt out.
Slapping a hand over her mouth, she removed it, and quickly regained control. "Luke, give me our daughter, and can you guys leave us ladies alone for a while," she said, dismissing the men. Derek and Brooke shared a last look as Lucas handed Peyton their daughter, then the two men left the room. Peyton gestured for Brooke to come closer as the door closed. "Okay, I'm going to say this first. If you're not over Lucas, don't lead my brother on. He is a good guy, and he's already falling for you, and he doesn't deserve to be hurt," she said to the brunette she had once called her best friend.
Looking hurt that Peyton had immediately jumped to the conclusion that she was doing nothing but leading Derek on, but knowing that Peyton had every reason to believe that, Brooke managed to control her tone. "I know that you are worried about your brother, but I really do like him, Peyton, and even more than that, because of him, I can honestly say that I am happy for you and Lucas. I know that we can never be the friends we used to be, but maybe this can be a new beginning for us, and maybe one day we can be even better than before," she offered.
Smiling, Peyton could tell that Brooke really was falling for her brother, too, and she was happy for the both of them. She angled her daughter so Brooke could see her. "Well, I know we can be better than we used to be, because were both older, and wiser, and we're not going after the same guy," she joked, and showing her just how far they had come, Brooke actually laughed. "Do you want to hold your goddaughter," she said, because she had always planned on Brooke being the godmother of her daughter.
For a while neither of them had thought that it would happen, but they were both glad that it finally had, and Brooke had tears in her eyes as she stepped closer and took the tiny blonde. They talked for a little while, before Peyton decided to ask Brooke a favor. "Hey, I was thinking, Lucas and I are getting married, and my fathers going to be here in a month. I don't know the next time he'll be home after that. Do you think you can help me plan a wedding in a month?" she asked, and Brooke grinned, giving Peyton all the answer she needed.
A little while later, Brooke had left, and so had Derek, who had waited for the women to finish talking so he could talk to Brooke, and Lucas was holding their daughter as he perched on the edge of Peyton's bed. She yawned again, and he knew it was time for her to get some sleep. "You look beautiful, Peyton Sawyer, soon-to-be-Scott, but you need to rest. We can look at our daughter some more tomorrow," he said, standing and going over to lay their daughter in the bassinet that was in the room.
Suppressing another yawn, Peyton agreed, but there was one thing she had to say first. "I think I know what I want to name her," she said, and he waited, curious. He was pretty sure he was going to agree with anything she said though. "Angela Penelope Scott," she said, waiting for his nod before explaining. "She really is my little angel, which is where Angela comes from, and Penelope, because I'm finally mending fences with her godmother, and Brooke deserves it," she said as he approached her again.
Climbing onto the bed with her, he held her in his arms, while she leaned her head on his chest. He kissed her temple. "I think the name is perfect. I love you, Peyton," he said, and she was barely able to say the words back before she fell asleep with her head on his chest. He just lay there for a while, holding her, and thinking how perfect their life had turned out, despite all odds, before he fell asleep too.
A/N: Well, this is the last chapter, I think. This fic has run its course, and the only thing I could possibly write would be a wedding for the two blondes, but I've read about too many Leyton weddings. It's practically impossible to write an original Leyton wedding anymore. I actually think this ending is kind of perfect anyway. Let me know what you think, and if you do want me to write a wedding. If enough people want it, I may just change my mind and actually write one. If not, well, review and let me know you liked the fic. I had fun writing this, but I'm ready to possibly move on to other things. I guess we'll just have to see. Thanks to everyone who reviewed, and even to those who didn't. I appreciate every reader.
Disclaimer: I don't own anything.