A/N: I'm so so sorry for the delay!!! My computer crashed and was being repaired for weeks!!! Plus we are currently moving house so had to settle all of that too!! Don't worry, the story isn't finished yet ;). Hope you enjoy!
Lucas and Peyton nervously followed the doctor into the consult room. There was a hint of familiarity in it. All of the common birthing and pregnancy diagrams that Peyton remembered from the many months visiting Dr Williamson's consult were scattered throughout. She remembered the conversations with Luke back then, joking about how neither of them could look at each other the same way again as well as freaking out about the unknown….
"Seriously! It's just too…. I mean I literally have this alien life form growing inside of me… and then I'm supposed to be happy about it coming out?! And they say it's not as bad as it seems! Luke did you see the diagrams!? Are you sure we want to do this?! I mean nothing is ever going to be the same again…. if you get my drift."
Lucas chuckled nervously. Not that he could show Peyton, but he was just as nervous as she was. Some of what that Dr Williamson was talking about was just plain freaky! It didn't seem normal… but then… it was extraordinarily normal and almost every couple went through this. Haley and Nathan… wait don't even let your mind to there Luke!
"It will be fine Peyton, I promise." Luke comforted, wondering if this was one promise he could not keep, could not control. "Just do as everyone says… think about the 'after'. I mean how cool will it be to have a baby of our very own... aren't you excited about that?! Lets just… not think about the in-between stuff"
"Easy for you to say… you don't have your body changing everyday and all these weird contortions going on" Peyton muttered under her breath.
Lucas wondered if this was the start of the 'hormones' Dr Williamson was talking about.
"So I see this isn't your first?" the doctor commented snapping Peyton out from her memory.
"No it's our second…." Luke answered nervously.
Turning her attention to Sawyer, the doctor asked her
"And how old are you?"
Sawyer looked nervously at this lady. She had a kind face, but this whole room was a little overwhelming for her. She grabbed hold of her mothers hand and looked at Peyton wanting to be picked up. Peyton complied, but not without whispering in her ear "Do you want to tell Dr Jones how old you are Sawyer? How old did you turn on your birthday?" Peyton prompted.
Gaining courage, Sawyer shyly showed the lady three fingers before resting her head on Peyton's shoulder.
"Wow! Three, you are a big girl then!" Dr Jones exclaimed.
Sawyer gave off a little smile.
"I've just got to get your Mummy settled on this comfy bed now, did you want to go and sit on your Daddy's lap?"
Sawyer wondered what was going on, but complied with what the lady asked of her. Climbing into her fathers arms, she began to feel safe again, although couldn't wait to get away from this strange place.
Peyton nervously settled herself onto the hospital bed. How is it that she felt so excited and nervous at the same time? Hadn't this been what they were trying for all of the past 8 months? In one second she had butterflies in her stomach, thinking about what was to come and the next she had a sinking feeling, thinking about the possibilities that the test may be wrong, or another difficult, potentially life threatening pregnancy. Reaching out her hand for Lucas' she felt him pull his chair closer. Sensing that her mother was nervous, then noticing the big machine that the doctor was playing with, Sawyer decided to comfort her mother the way she did when she felt sick.
"It's ok mummy. It won't hurt" Sawyer said, giving her mothers arm a big hug. Lucas smiled and kissed their daughter on the forehead while Peyton stifled a giggle.
"Thanks sweetie."
"Everything looks great!" Dr Jones said as she looked at the screen.
Luke wondered how on earth the doctor could make anything out on the ultrasound.
As though reading his mind Dr Jones began to point things out, not that it made any more sense to him then. It still looked like one giant big grey blob.
"Here is the head… the spine, and you can just start to make out the limbs here. You look about 10 weeks. Does that sound about right?"
Peyton nodded silently with tears once again welling in her eyes. It was hard to ignore now, looking at the blurry figure on the screen. They were indeed pregnant again.
"Oh, I almost forgot!" Dr Jones said before hitting a few buttons. Almost immediately, Peyton's favourite sound filled the room. The lovely fast heartbeat of a healthy baby. Lucas leaned forward and kissed Peyton on the lips. He too had wet eyes.
"We're having a baby" he whispered. "I love you so much"
Peyton just silently rubbed his cheek before kissing him again, smiling at the thought.
Dr Jones then ran through the usual questions with them, making sure everything was going well on track.
"Ok well it seems like everything is fine here. Don't worry too much about your lack of symptoms! That should be a good thing. Some women go through their whole pregnancy without the slightest change… well other than a vigorously growing belly! Now Dr Williamson sent me through your history. It's great news that you haven't had any spotting yet. One would expect that by 10 weeks if you were presenting with even partial PP. Now that's not to say that you are out of the woods yet, but do let us know if you have any cramping or bleeding and get to the doctor immediately to be checked out. Otherwise, make an appointment with Dr Williamson for your 12 week check-up and he will go through a few more of these points with you. Oh and congratulations! You two should be very proud!"
Lucas and Peyton were walking hand in hand through Central Park – a treat for Sawyer who had been very good throughout the visit at the doctors. Peyton felt like a regular kid at high school sharing once more in a new found love. She would glance at Lucas, or he at her and both would grin cheekily before looking away, each lost in each others thoughts. They were both bursting with their news, but yet it almost felt too sacred to talk about it.
"So shall we tell everyone back home?" Lucas finally asked breaking the silence as Sawyer ran off to the playground and he and Peyton found a nearby chair to sit and watch.
Peyton hesitated for a little while. "I'm not sure. Part of me wants to yell and scream the news from the rooftops. I want to ring Brooke, Hayley and Millie right this instant and tell them. Yet part of me still feels a little nervous about all of this. So I guess part of me wants to wait until we speak to Dr Williamson.. and until we pass that 12 week mark."
"Why is it the things you should keep secret are the hardest to actually keep?!" Lucas commented. "I guess we'll wait. Wait until we get the official all clear then".
"Thanks" Peyton said leaning into him and watching their daughter play.
"Hmm…. how are we going to tell Sawyer?!" She pondered.
"I'll leave that one to you!" Lucas grinned.
Peyton nuzzled into Lucas' lap while they watched their daughter play on the playground equipment at Central Park. Lucas had his arm protectively over Peyton, unintentionally resting his hand on her stomach, as though protecting the secret they now shared between themselves. A few metres behind them on another park bench two teenage girls were sitting engrossed in their own conversation, just speaking loud enough for Lucas and Peyton to over-hear.
"Hey Liz, do you know who I think that guy is over there. The one to your left?"
Liz' friend casually looked over to where Lucas and Peyton sat, to which Peyton gave him a sly wink.
"No, don't look now, you'll make it so obvious!" Liz scolded.
"I don't know… but he's awful cute!"
"I think it's Lucas Scott… you know the writer of that Ravens book I lent you? His supposed to be here now you know – on tour or something. I was gonna go to his launch tomorrow"
Peyton winked at Lucas, who cheekily smiled back at her, evidently enjoying the conversation they were hearing, with a sneaking suspicion they shouldn't be eavesdropping.
"You really reckon that's him? I mean, he's really cute!"
"Well he was a basketball player"
"Yeah but how many years ago was that do you think? Ages ago. You reckon that girl that's with him is Peyton, the girl from the book?"
Lucas grinned cheekily at Peyton waiting to hear what the other girls response would be.
"Nah, I don't think so, that relationship so wouldn't have lasted. Lucas couldn't make up his mind between either her or Brooke. I think he would have ended up with neither."
Peyton sat up a little initially with a mock shocked expression on her face, although as the girl continued, she shrugged, nodded and then rested her head once more on Lucas' lap. Lucas in turn rolled his eyes before whispering to Peyton "You know that's not true!"
Peyton laughed knowing how blind Lucas' was to his high school self "Oh it so is. But I just know that you always had the hots for me… what was it… since eighth grade? Poor Brooke never stood a chance! Though you very nearly lost me my best friend on multiple occasions!"
"What can I say… I was surrounded by two beautiful women!"
They turned their attention back to the girls to see what they were going to say next.
"Well I'm going to his launch tomorrow. You wanna come? Maybe we can meet him and ask him for ourselves?!"
"I dare you to ask him now!"
"No way, that's way too embarassing!"
"Suit yourself!" With that the girls got up and left their bench, leaving Peyton and Lucas to giggle over the encounter.
"Luke, next time you write a book can you please do me a favour" Peyton asked innocently.
"What's that?!"
"If you are going to write about our lives, PLEASE change our names!" Peyton said before bursting into laughter
"I can't believe this weekend has gone so fast. I'm heading back home already tomorrow! Peyton lamented. She felt as though she had been living in a bubble the whole weekend with Lucas. It was so good to see him again, but tomorrow, when she left, it would still be three weeks before he was home again. Now, with their impending arrival, that seemed harder to take than before. She hoped against hope that nothing bad would happen as she didn't know if she could cope without Lucas' support.
"I've got a simple solution to fix that" Lucas replied
"Oh?!"
"Yeah – don't go back… stay with me" Lucas mused. "You can come and keep those teenage girls entertained during my tour, and we can stay together for the three weeks and then return to Tree Hill in a few weeks time. A proper vacation for all of us!"
Peyton smiled. It sounded as though Lucas had been stewing up this plan since she arrived in New York.
"Luke I'd love to, you have no idea how much, but have you forgotten that rather large record deal that we landed just before you left for this tour? I can't leave that all to Haley. I have to go home and help with all of that…. Tempting as your proposal sounds."
"I know… three weeks just seems like a long time."
"Hopefully it will fly by. We've already got through 6 weeks of the tour. What's three more right?!"
"Yeah… what's three more… Just promise me one thing Mrs Scott."
"Anything"
"Don't overdo it ok. Get Nathan and Haley or whoever to come and help you. I want you to take care of yourself."
"Yes sir!" Peyton joked, although secretly she was touched by how concerned he was for her.
As they fell asleep in each others arms, Peyton wondered how on earth she was going to keep this news a secret for the next three weeks…
I know it's not as good as usual, but I had to at least give you something! Hopefully my next installment will be a little better!