A week later Lucas was sitting as his desk at the paper.  He hadn’t really spoken more than one sentence to Peyton in over a week.  Ever since he and Brooke were on common ground, he and Peyton were getting further apart.  He was interrupted by his boss.

“By that smile, I’d think you were thinking of a pretty girl…but then I remembered you’re Lucas Scott.”
He looked up.  “Hey Lindsay…come to scream at me for not making the deadline?”
“That…and to ask why you of all people missed a deadline.  A year ago you had your work in before I had to post a deadline.”
“Things have changed…I’ve changed.”
“I hope not too much to leave this place.”
“It’s not that…” He looked at a picture of Preston.  “Have you ever wanted to just…I don’t know…get away from it all.  The drama and just like to let things just happen?”
“All the time, but then I remember that I’m the editor of this fabulous newspaper.”
“And I have a seven year old son, no time to sit back and relax.”
“And a crazy ex-wife.”
“I just hoped that things would work out.  But I feel like I’m going to explode sometimes and I don’t want it to be to the wrong person.”
“Okay Lucas.  Take Brooke and Peyton out of the picture.  What do you want for Preston?”
“For him to grow up knowing how much Brooke and I love him.”
“Okay, what do you want for Brooke?”
“I know what you’re doing…I just want everyone else to be happy…and I’ll be happy.”
“Look at you, you’re miserable.”
“I guess you could call it that.”
“Okay, the holidays are coming up, what are your plans for Christmas?”
“Peyton invited me and Preston to her mom’s house for a pre-holiday thing in South Dakota while her brother is home.”
“Have fun…don’t’ worry about this place or anything in Tree Hill.”
“Are you my boss, or my shrink?”
“Right now I’m your boss but I can give advice when you need it.  But I also need that article by the end of business today.”
“Done.” He clicked a few times on his mouse pad.  “Emailed.”
“Now that’s the Lucas Scott I know.  And just remember that your life is only miserable when you let it get miserable.”

Peyton got up to answer the door…she almost slammed it shut when seeing Brooke.

“Nathan took him to the park.  What do you want?”
“I know Lucas is at work, so I came here to talk to you.”
“Really? Why?  I don’t work for you anymore…and you made it clear that we aren’t friends, so…”
“It’s obvious you and Lucas will be together for a really long time, maybe even forever.  And that means we’ll be seeing a lot of each other.”
“Oh really, are you dating Lucas too.  The last time I checked, you were just Preston’s mom.”
“I am…but that means I’m always in Lucas’ life…no matter if I want to be or not.”
“Oh, but you do.”
“Obviously this isn’t going the way I planned it my head.”
“What did you expect? Me to hug you and pretend we’re long lost cousins?”
“Of course not, but the catty attitude.”
“I’ve learned to not give you any leeway; I only get hurt in the end.”
“So awkward visits, very short sentences are the norm for us now?”
“Besides me being your employee…or now ex employee…what else do we have in common?  Other than being the object of Lucas Scott’s affection, at one point or another.”
“You just love throwing that in my face don’t you?  That you’re Lucas’ new girlfriend and I’m just the mother of his child and that’s all I’ll ever be.”
“No, you’re doing that for yourself.”
“Okay, what do you want from me?”
“What do I want?  Don’t let the door hit you in the ass is a start.”
“So you want me gone…what else.  Come on Peyton.  I’m not your boss anymore so you can say whatever the hell you want to me.  There are no witnesses…so go ahead…slap me, knock me down.  Get it over with.”
“You would love for me to hit you.  You know what I’ve learned from girls like you is that it’s all about attention.  I bet you were the most popular girl in school and it kills you to be second or even last on the popularity scale.  And I can probably put money on the fact that you would give anything to be Mrs. Lucas Scott all over again just so you can feel wanted.  Guess what cheerleader…it’s over.  It’s all over.  There are no more high school parties, pretty boys to fall all over you and there are no more pathetic little girls to look up to you.  That’s right pretty girl…you’re done.  You’re over…and the best part is…I get to watch you crumble.  Everything about you makes me sick.  And you know…the more I look at you…the more I love Lucas.  I love him for the fact that he was smart enough to get the hell away from you….just a shame a sweet little boy like Preston got in the middle.”
“I asked for it…I got it.”
“And now back to your original answer, get the hell out.”
“Don’t mind if I do.”  Brooke turned around.  “Peyton, one more thing.”
“What?”

Brooke hit Peyton right in the face, and her retaliating with a pushed to the ground.  Then Nathan and Preston came back and the door was unlocked.  Nathan was shocked to see both of them on the floor.  He then pulled Peyton off the ground and Brooke looked at Preston.

“Baby…hi…did you have fun at the park.”
“Mommy…you said you liked Peyton.”
“I do honey.”  She brushed the hair out of her face.
“Then why were you fighting?” He shouted.
”Honey…”
Nathan interjected.  “You are so busted.  Don’t dig yourself too far in the ground where you can’t get out.”
“Honey…it was wrong of me to do that…and I’m sorry.”
He pointed to Peyton.  “Say sorry to her.”
Brooke looked at Peyton…who was smiling.  “Preston, sometimes saying sorry isn’t the right word.”
“That’s what daddy says to say when you do something wrong.  Right Uncle Nathan?”
“You’re right, little man.  Let’s go into your room and…well…we’ll get out of here.”  He eyed both of them.

Brooke picked up her purse.  “I guess we know where we stand now.”
“Brooke, I’m sorry.”
“Preston’s gone…you don’t have to lie.”
“Brooke, I really am sorry.  I would like to at least get some common ground with you.”
“We’ve had almost a year to do that Peyton…I don’t think we can ever be on the same level.”
”I do love Lucas…even if you don’t believe that.”
“I know you do…but with Lucas it’s not all about him. It’s about Preston.”
“I know that…and that’s why it’s so hard.  Do you realize how much of a threat you are to me…you don’t even know it.  Lucas and I depend on Preston’s opinion of me.  Preston is Lucas’ world…he would do anything for that boy.  And today, it just shows how immature we both are.  In any second…my heart would shatter if I thought Lucas still loved you or that we can’t be together because I’m not good enough of a role model to Preston.  I’m scared to death and you’re not making it any easier with being mom of the year.”
“Mom of the year?  I’m dying out there trying to make sure my little boy grows up and calls me when all of his dreams come true…his mom and not you…a step mom.  You are Lucas’ future, Peyton.  And it drives me insane thinking that one day he’ll need permission from his mom and he’ll call you.”
Peyton walked over to her.  “And if he does…I’ll tell him he has the wrong number.”

Lucas walked in…both girls crying.

“Umm…I can come back if you two need a minute.”
Brooke dried her eyes.  “I’m done…I’m just…done.” 
Lucas shut the door behind her.  “What the hell happened?  I like that you two aren’t screaming at each other…” He looked around the floor.  “But my apartment is a mess.”
“And with that…I think I’m done too.”
“Done with what? I don’t get it.”

Nathan walked out of Preston’s room, holding Preston’s coat.  “He’s taking a nap…big day at the park.”
“Yeah, thanks Nathan…I guess I’ll see you later.”
“Yeah.”  He looked at Peyton.  “I’ll give you a call later.”
“Peyton, what’s going on?”
“What’s going on? You have a seven year old boy in the other room sleeping.  You have an ex-wife who thinks that I’m trying to take her place.  And I couldn’t feel more out of place.”
“Ooh, no, don’t do this to me…to us.  I need you with me.”
“To do what? Fight against Brooke…creating this perfect family just so you won’t have to have custody issues?”  Lucas wasn’t saying anything. “Make everyone think you have a girlfriend so they won’t worry about you.  Lucas…I feel like I’m second rate sometimes.  And it’s not your fault, you have a little boy to think about.  I just don’t know if I can do it…if I can be apart of this life…this crazy world of a son and an ex-wife.”
Lucas stood there, starring at her…processing it all.  “Is this what you really want?”
“No…but I don’t know what I want anymore.”
“Can I tell you what I want?”
“Sure…go ahead.”
He walked over…kissing her…like the first kiss they shared on their first official date.  “I want you…all of you.  I want the good with the bad…and you make everything make sense.  I love you and Preston loves you…and nothing else matters.”
“But lately…we’ve barely talked and if we do it’s one word sentences.”
“That’s sort of my fault.  Things have been kind of weird and I sort of crawl into a shell and don’t talk to anyone.  It’s a habit.”
“Could you quit your dumb habit, your girlfriend really needs you.”
“Well, I’m here now.”
“Really, are you here or is your mind on work or your crazy ex-wife?”
“My mind is on a beautiful woman standing in front of me that is dying to be kissed.”
“Well, you’re on the right track.”
“So you don’t want to be kissed?”
“I do…but it’s gonna cost you.” 
“Really?”
“Yeah…you see this woman has something else in mind…something in mind of a really high score.”
He kissed her.  “Peyton, I don’t like games.”
“Too bad for you, because that’s what this even has in store for you.” 

Two hours later…

Lucas was down to his shorts and socks and Peyton was still fully clothed.
“Okay, two hours of strip scrabble and this is all I have left.”
“I said I had a really high score in mind…you just thought of something else.”
He looked at his letters.  “I got it.” He spelled out his letters. “I so win…strip baby.”
She looked at it.  “Luke… moi amour tu is not a word or a sentence…you so cheated.”
“Sure it is…it means I love you…in French.” He kissed her.  “So what are the chances of you stripping down.”
“Slim to none.” She smiled.
“Sure…come here.”  He kissed her…lifting up her shirt.

The phone rang early in the afternoon. Lucas forgot to take his cell phone with him and the Preston’s school was calling.  Peyton feared the worst not knowing what could happen to Preston and she had no way of getting in contact with Lucas.

“Hello.”
“Umm…is Mr. Scott there…this is Abby with Tree Hill Elementary School.”
“Umm, he’s at work.  He accidentally left his cell phone here…”
“Okay, are you his wife…Mrs. Scott?”
She blanked.  “Sure.”
“He’s caught a fever today and needs to come home, are you able to come pick him up.  If not, we’re going to have to send him to the emergency room?”
“Emergency room, how bad is his fever?”
“It’s a hundred and fifteen; he’s sweating and not being able to stay awake.  We’re not really sure what bought on the fever.”
“Okay, I’m coming; I’ll be right there; tell him I’ll be right there.”
“Thank you, Mrs. Scott.”

On the way there, she had called the store and Brooke wasn’t there. She had gone to run a few errands.  Sean wasn’t in the mood of caring.  Peyton then called her cell and just had to leave a message.  She arrived at the school and rushed into the office.

“Hi…I just got a call about Preston Scott?”
“Yes, thanks for coming so soon Mrs. Scott.”
“Yeah…sure.” She felt horrible about faking her name.  She walked behind the secretary and went into the clinic.  Preston was laying down on the bed…wrapped up in a blanket and sweat pouring down his face.  “Hey baby…”
He opened up his eyes slowly.  “Hi…”
“You don’t feel good, huh?”  He nodded.  “Well it looks like we’re gonna have to take you to the emergency room.”
He coughed.  “Where’s daddy?”
“Honey…daddy’s at work…I tried calling him, but he left his cell phone at home.”
“Where’s mommy?”
The nurses looked at Peyton, she finally came clean.  “I left mommy a message on her phone.”
A nurse pulled her aside.  “We have to put Preston in the custody of whoever Mr. Scott allows to pick him up.  Right now, that Mrs. Scott and himself.”
“I’m sorry, but they aren’t here and…”
“And what…who are you?”
“I’m Lucas’ girlfriend…Peyton Sawyer.  He probably didn’t put me on the approved list or whatever…but we live together and…”
“I’m sorry; he must only go with the people on the list.”

Not a second passed that Brooke stormed down the hallway.

“Hi…I’m Brooke Davis…the former Mrs. Scott…how’s my son?”
The nurse looked at both of them.  “Okay, who would be Preston’s parents?”
Preston looked up, pointed to Brooke.  “MOMMY!”
Brooke gave her a look. “Solve the case for you, Nancy Drew?”
“Identification?”
Brooke was stubborn…grabbing her wallet.  “Here.”
“Thank you…now…Preston needs to go to the emergency room if he doesn’t stay here.  His fever has been up to a hundred and fifteen for the past hour.”
“Well, when can we call an ambulance?”
“I can do that right now.”
“Thanks.”

Brooke sat down against Preston and he leaned on her…closing his eyes.  She looked up at Peyton. “Thank you.”
“I sorta have to confess that when they called for Mrs. Scott…and I found out Preston was sick.  I just went along.”
“Lucas never changed it so if something like this happened that I would be able take care of him.”
“Good thing you got here, then.”
“Good thing you were home…I really do appreciate you taking care of Preston…or attempting to until the nurses played detectives with you.”
“I almost had them until Preston asked for you.”
She smiled down at him, and looked up at Peyton.  “He asked for me?”
“Yeah…after asking for Lucas.”
Brooke smiled.  “The Scott boys do stick together.”
“So…about yesterday…”
“You know, there’s so much stuff we can do to help Preston that all the negative stuff in the past doesn’t matter and shouldn’t matter.”
“What changed your mind?”
“My mom.  She’s pretty much the most insignificant person in the world.  And I feel like if I take you out of Preston’s life…he’s missing out on getting to know a pretty fantastic person.”
Peyton fought the tears.  “Thanks…that means a lot.”
“Plus, I think it was making it harder on Luke.  He deserves more than an ex-wife and future wife cat fighting all day.”
“Yeah, you’re right.” Peyton remembered what Brooke said.  “Future wife?”
“Come on Peyton…I see it…he loves you…and I don’t doubt you love him.  The way you fight with me, you’re in it for the long haul.”
“Has he said anything…”
“No, Luke never talks about that stuff, not to even Karen.”
“I’ve noticed that…it’s a dumb habit.”
“It’s a dumb habit to get used to…he hasn’t broken it yet.”