Peyton was 6 weeks late.

Her period, which never missed a beat had failed to come, not for 1 or 2 weeks which would have previously made her heart skip a beat and grab the pregnancy tests, but for 6 weeks. Yet, while she should be jumping for joy and have already done a gazillion pregnancy tests, Peyton was too nervous to even do one.

She felt fine. There was no queasiness in the stomach and she didn't feel tired at all. She was just the same old Peyton… and that scared her. What if she did another test, got all of her hopes up and it came back negative. Could she deal with that?! Or, like the dreams she was having lately… that she was pregnant, but kept miscarrying. Could she deal with that?! No, it was better to just…. Not know… to not test… and blame it on her body for playing weird tricks on her. Besides, Lucas was on his book tour… he had been gone for 5 weeks and still had 3 to go. He was so close to home she could almost taste it. Right now, he was in NYC promoting his book, which was a raving success, if the tabloids were anything to go by. She couldn't do this test without him. Yet if she was… you know… Peyton couldn't even think the word, she really should take the test so she could take the necessary precautions and health checkups. Once again, just like she did every day for the past 5 weeks, Peyton wished that Lucas was with her… if for nothing else, he would give her the courage to take this damn test!

"So… what is a sexy man like you sitting here… all alone on a Friday night?"

Lucas looked up from his drink at this tall, leggy blonde who was leaning over the bar seductively. Smiling to himself, Lucas wondered how he would answer. During the book tour he had gotten used to this. Almost every time that he went out at night he pretty much had to put up with this sort of attention. Some was through those who had read and noticed his novels throughout the book tour, and others were just girls coming up to say hi. Peyton laughed over it when he told her, usually in a rant about how frustrating it was. God he missed his girls. Talking on the phone and on Skype was not the same as seeing each other in person. Something was also bothering her and he couldn't just figure out what. He wished that he could see her and figure out what was on her mind.

"Wow – you're really way off somewhere else aren't you?!" the blonde woman asked.

"Uh… yeah… sorry… I'm just waiting for someone."

"And they've left you waiting for 20 minutes?"

"You've been watching me?!"

"Sure, you're hard not to watch"

"Yeah, well sorry, but I really am waiting for someone?" Lucas laughed nervously.

Not to be pushed aside, the woman continued "Business or pleasure?"

"Ahh… business actually"

The woman's face lit up "Well if it's business, how about catching up later?!"

"I'm sorry I really can't." Lucas smiled. Boy some were harder to get rid of than usual.

"Are you gay?!"

"I'm sorry?!" Lucas asked mildly offended.

"Well it's just… you're hot… like really hot… So that usually means you're an ass or you're gay. You look too nice to be an ass… so gay is my next option… So… are you gay!?"

Lucas laughed out loud. "No. definitely not gay"

"Okaaay…."

"I'm…. my wife is back home in North Carolina. I'm just out to meet for business before heading back to the hotel" Lucas explained.

The woman was taken aback for a little while. "Wow – you look too young to be married…. She must be some girl." She said smiling before getting up to walk away.

"She sure is."

"So Hales, you really going to go ahead with this tutoring thing?" Peyton asked while she and Haley were working together in the studio.

'Um, yeah, sure! I mean, it's going to be a lot of work, but you know, what's life without a bit of stress right?!"

"Stress… madness... same thing really! I don't know how you do it Hales. The whole Mum thing, the working here, and even have time to think about more jobs. You're amazing you know that! A regular super mum!"

Haley laughed at Peyton's analogy. "Yeah, well it all just seems to fit, you know. I'm lucky enough that my jobs can work around my kids, but also, they seem to compliment each other. I mean I could always tutor kids in music as well right?!"

Peyton laughed. "Not to mention the fact that you have this amazing boss, who only occasionally reminds you that you are supposed to be writing a record for her"

"Hey – Peyton, you can never rush art… you should know that!" Mia said slyly from the studio, where she was recording some of her work. All three of them then burst into laughter.

Finally, Luke made it back to the hotel room and collapsed on the bed. Man, was he tired. He didn't remember any of Lindsay's book tours being this exhausting. Yet they hadn't been this successful either. Not only had he boosted the sales of his two previous books "Ravens" and "Comet", but also his newest "One in a Million" was really making its mark too. Exhausting as it was, Luke knew that all of this promotion, putting up with the press conferences, signings and girls following him all over… all of this would be worth it in the end. He could finally felt like his work meant something, to someone other than himself.

Tired, he quickly dialled the number for home, hoping he could have a quick chat to Peyton before he called it a night. Alas, there was no answer at the other end, and Luke was left wondering where Peyton might be.

"So have you heard from Luke?" Haley asked Peyton as they continued to work.

"Yeah, talking most nights – you know how it is"

"don't I know it! Nathan's not due back for another week as they are playing a couple of away games, and it was silly for him to come back in between training and the games."

"I don't know how you cope with it Hales! I feel like one of those pathetic school girls I always swore I wouldn't be, waiting for their guy to come and to call"

"Only difference is that you've gone from seeing this guy 24/7 to not seeing him at all for seven weeks" Haley laughed

"Exactly! So how do you cope!?" Peyton asked.

"Well… you get used to it I guess. But sometimes, I don't cope. I miss him too much. So I pack Jaime and Amelia on a plane, or a bus, or into the car and we just go and meet Nathan at his hotel or something."

"Does he mind?!"

"No way… he loves the surprise visits!" Seeing where Peyton's mind was going, Haley chipped in "Lucas would love it you know. I'm sure he misses you as much as you miss him"

"Hmmm…yeah – I guess.. It's just, he always sounds so busy when we talk. But… maybe the break would do me good. With all this preparation with the new band and all, it might be good to get away for a few days"

"Aw c'mon Peyton, just go you fool! Hales and I can hold the fort. Or are you too afraid that we can't hold the company up to your standards!?" Mia joked, speaking through the microphone.

Peyton laughed "Enough out of you missy! Don't forget, I'm paying you by the hour, so quit listening to our conversation and start practicing!"

Peyton looked up to make sure she was at the right hotel. Smiling to herself, she briskly walked to the reception desk and set Sawyer down, holding onto her hand.

Peyton waited until the concierge turned his attention to her.

"Ma'am, how may I help you?"

"Hi, I'm wanting the room number for Lucas Scott please?"

The gentleman looked less than impressed

"You and every other woman under the age of 40" He replied curtly, "I'm sorry, we don't give out confidential information"

Peyton was a little taken aback. "But I'm his wife. You see, I wanted to surprise him, so I don't want him to know I'm here."

"Sure, you and everyone else Lady"

"No, but I am, My name is Peyton Scott and this is his daughter Sawyer"

"Seriously honey, that wouldn't have taken long to figure out now would it?! Do you not think that I've heard all of this before?!"

"You mean you're not even going to let me in even if I can prove who I am?!" Peyton asked exasperated.

"Even then Ma'am"

Peyton felt a tug at her coat. "Mama, how much longer till we can see Daddy?!"

Turning her attention to her daughter she answered "I'm not sure sweetie, we just have to wait until this nice man will let us in"

"But I want to see him now!"

"We will soon sweetie, we will"

Taking one last look at the concierge, she could tell he wasn't going to budge. She could either carry on, or walk out and try and find another way to find Lucas, thereby ruining the surprise. She thought she'll give it one more go.

"Ok, seriously, what do I have to do to prove that I am his wife? Look – here is his daughter, doesn't she look like him? Now nobody knows her name as it's not mentioned in any of his books, but I can tell you – it's Sawyer. Sawyer Brooke. C'mon, name what you want to know and I'll tell you"

The concierge was just about to answer with the standard response, but was interrupted by someone calling out in the hallway.

"Peyton?! Peyton is that you?!" She turned her head around to see Tony, Lucas' editor coming and approaching her.

"Tony! Hi!" Peyton responded before giving the concierge and cold look and then turning to smile at Tony.

"It's so nice to see you! And Sawyer of course. Was Lucas expecting you?!"

"No, a complete surprise."

Looking once at the concierge, Tony said "She's with me, I'm going to take her to her husbands room"

The concierge nodded. Peyton thought this was a good opportunity to cut in

"You know, sometimes it might just pay to listen to what the other person is telling you to do" Peyton joked as she walked off, arm in arm with Tony.

Lucas swiped the key into his room door and slowly entered, turning on the lights. It had been yet another long day of interviews, signings and the usual, and he wanted nothing more than to flop on the bed. Something felt different about this room. He wasn't sure what just yet. Lucas looked around to make sure that everything was in place. There didn't seem to be anything missing, yet Lucas still felt that there was something different. He walked into the little Kitchenette and was shocked to find his curly haired wife rummaging around the room, with his little daughter helping by asking a million questions, usually beginning with "why".

"Peyton?!" Lucas asked

"Oh Shit! It was supposed to be a surprise! Everything was supposed to be organised!"

"It was a surprise" Lucas said grinning and pulling her over to him for a deep kiss.

"Yes, but it wasn't the correct surprise. It was supposed to blow you off of your feet."

"It already did" Lucas replied, kissing her again, this time a little harder.

After a lovely meal out, putting Sawyer to bed, and catching up on the latest goss, Lucas felt that there was no more time for beating around the bush.

"Ok P. Scott. Out with it, what brings you here?! Was it a friendly visit, or was there something else"!

"It was to make sure that all of those stories you were telling us about ridiculous women were false…. But I think it's quite apparent it's true. Poor little Lucas, being chased by girls! Some guys would kill for that!"

Lucas laughed.

After another rmoments silence, Peyton then said "There was another reason for the visit"

"Mmmm?"

Silently, Peyton pulled out a pregnancy test from her bag and handed it to Lucas.

"How long?" He asked.

"6 weeks"

"SIX weeks?! Surely that's a good sign?" Lucas asked enthusiastically.

"I don't know." Was Peyton's short answer. "I mean what if we're not, but what if we are and there is something wrong with it, or that something happens to it. It's scary. I just…. Couldn't do it on my own."

Understanding, Lucas pulled her into an embrace, and then held her hand as they went to the bathroom together

"This is the longest few minutes of my life" Lucas said

"Try having sat on this information for a while and being too scared to find out" Peyton said nervously.

From the bathroom they heard the timer beep, yet neither got up to rush to the bathroom as they once may have done. Instead they sat and looked at each other, neither wanting to make the first move.

Moments passed, and yet, they were still sitting there.

Finally, Peyton got up, and slowly went to the bathroom. She motioned for Lucas to stay where he was. "I just… you're supporting me enough by being here" she said cautiously.

Lucas continued to sit on the bed for a little while longer. There was no noise coming from the bathroom. No whooping for joy, no running out sobbing… nothing. Finally curiosity got the better of him.

"Peyton….?" He asked tentatively. No answer

"Peyton, I'm coming in ok?!" Still no answer.

Slowly Lucas opened the bathroom door to find Peyton sitting on the floor, pregnancy test in hand, and crying uncontrollably. Without even thinking, his heart sank. Not again! Lucas was almost sure this time. He ran over to her, wrapped his arms around his wife and cradled her.

"Oh Peyton….." He said, just as every bit disappointed as she was.