Home Sweet Home

Home...as in Tree Hill

Peyton had just finished tidying up the house, and ordering in as Lucas walked through the door. He kicked off his dress shoes, and dropped his bag on the bench near the door before turning toward the kitchen where Peyton leaned against the counter, starring down at the navy folder. "Peyt? Everything okay?" He asked, stopping in front of her. She looked up, tears in her eyes. "Hey, hey hey. What's going on?" He rushed to her side and pulled her close. She sniffled. "God I'm such a mess." He laughed. "But you're my mess. What's got you so upset?" She sighed, now or never. "How much would you hate the idea of us leaving LA and going home?" He pulled back slightly to look her in the eyes. "Home...As in Tree Hill?" She nodded. He frowned. Convinced they had loved being the kind of family that did the busy city life. He had been working on his third novel, and signing into a movie deal for 'The Comet' the previous year had kept him so incredibly busy..maybe he missed it. Maybe he just hadn't realized that they weren't completely in love with the idea of being away from the place they had called home all of their lives. "You're not happy here." He stated. She dropped her grasp around him, and turned for the folder. "I thought maybe I could be. For the last four years I tried really hard to be...but Luke." She paused looking down at the mysterious folder, once more. "Everything is just so..so lonely here. I know you've been so successful out here, you've made friends on the set, and at your publishing office, I just haven't had that same experience. I mean, I don't need that same experience...I just want things like Sawyer being able to play outside without having an aneurysm over the idea of something bad happening in such a big city.  I want to be able to have our family over. I want to be able to talk to Brooke for more than five minutes over a FaceTime call." She handed him the navy folder. "All of the signs keep on pointing me back to, well, home. I found out my old house was on the market." She nodded towards his now occupied hands. He opened it up and saw the listing. A page of the small list of kindergartens back home. Rubbing the back of his neck, he looked back up to his wife. "I totally understand if you don't want to. We just never keep things from each other, and I didn't want this to be the start." That put a smile on his face. "And I'd never ask you to sacrifice for us." "Us?" This confused him. "Sawyer isn't having an easy time here either Luke. These LA kids aren't exactly good company. I sent a Katie home early from the office so I could pick her up. She was sitting alone in the corner reading, and she told Brooke that no one will play with her. I just know she wouldn't have that issue if we had her around family. I mean she would have Jamie and Lydia, Davis and Jude at least." He nodded slowly. "So we could work it out somehow-." "Peyt. If my girls aren't happy, I'm not happy. I can work from Tree Hill, I'm sure of it. I can fly out as needed. There's nothing to discuss, I can't have you both so unhappy the rest of your lives. That's not the vow I made when I married you. So if you're sure this is what you need, then this is what we'll do. Put an offer in on your old house." She looked up with more unshed tears in her eyes. "Really Luke?" "Really." He planted a kiss on the top of her head. "We should talk to Sawyer, of course. This effects her too." He nodded, and they headed up the stairs. Knocking lightly on the door, they both entered to find Sawyer at the child's drawing table she had received for Christmas from Karen, Andy and Lily. "Sawy bear, we need to talk to you." She turned to them, crayon still poised over the paper. "Okay. Hi daddy!" He smiled in her direction, before Peyton spoke. "So Daddy and I were talking, and you get the final say in what happens next, but we were thinking maybe it's time to move to Tree Hill." Eyes wide, and a grin like the Cheshire Cat, Sawyer dropped her crayon. "I could see Aunt Brookie all the time?" She asked. "Of course!" "Can we leave now?" Lucas and Peyton shared a laugh. "There's a couple of things we have to settle out first, but soon as possible. So you're on board?" "Yes!" She squealed, she jumped up, knocking the small plastic chair backward, smacking the hardwood floor. "Thank you! I don't like it here. And no one likes me at daycare." She wrapped her tiny arms around Lucas. "Thank you." She said once more. Lucas looked at Peyton. "Looks like we're going back home." She smiled, and gave him a peck on the lips. "Thank you, for being so amazing." She whispered. "Anything for you." He replied.

As they sat down to dinner that night, Sawyer was practically vibrating with excitement on finally getting to see everyone. When family is only known through a screen, they could understand why. "Momma? Do I get to play with Lydia and Jude and Davis now? Like really play, I won't have to watch?" Lucas eyed Peyton across from him, the amount of anger and sadness he had on behalf of his baby girl having no one, hit hard. "Absolutely. I'm sure they're so excited to finally get to play that you'll be so busy catching up, you won't even remember what it's like to not play, even." Satisfied with that answer, she smiled. "You think maybe I should draw everyone some pictures? Like a surprise?" "Well I don't see why not! I'm sure they'd love them as much as we do." Suddenly, the smile fell from her little face. "What about Mrs Greene. Will she come with us? I don't want her to be alone too. She's nice when she babysits." "She has her life here bug. But I'll tell you what, any time you want to call her or send pictures, I'm sure she'll love that just as much." She nodded. "I like that. I'm done Momma, can I go draw now before bedtime story?" Peyton nodded, and watched her daughter climb down and head back up the stairs before turning full attention to Lucas. "I'm worried about her. I hope that moving back will break this old habit of hiding out in her room." Peyton said, picking at her plate. "Don't worry too much. If my memory is correct, she's just being her mothers child. Someone else loved being on her own in her bedroom too." Peyton arched an eyebrow. "Never tell a mom not to worry. I was a teenager, that's so different. She's still just my baby. She can't be a bedroom hermit like I was this early on." "It'll all be okay Peyt, Tree Hill will be good for all of us. It might even get you out of the hermit ways." He chuckled. "Ha ha, very funny, Luke." She smiled, and began to clear their takeout boxes and plates. "You're right though, this feels like the best decision we've made in a long time. I just hope the realtor gets back to me soon." He nodded. "It's been three hours Peyt, they'll call." Just as the words left his mouth, her cell phone buzzed. She pulled it from her pocket, and slid open to answer the call. "Hello, this is Marie Spencer from Tree Hill Listings, am I speaking with Peyton Scott?" "Yes, this is Peyton." "Hi Peyton, so I just received your email early this evening and I wanted to know if you're still interested with the offer you have on your online application here in front of me?" "Absolutely." Peyton tucked the phone in between her cheek and neck, anxiously fidgeting with her hands. "Well I'm calling to confirm, as we haven't had any other offers come in since the house went up about a month or so ago. How soon would you be interested in taking over and signing the lease?" "As soon as possible. We have a few things to tie up here on our end but I'd like to sign immediately." "Great. I'll send you the documents and the home owners deed. You can send in or drop off the cheque when you're in town, and we'll finish anything else required when you arrive. Just leave a message here at this number once you do and we can arrange a meeting. I look forward to meeting with you Peyton. If you have any questions just shoot me an email. Take care." "Thank you, you as well!" She took a breath she didn't realize her was holding as she ended the call. Turning to Lucas she teared up. She really had no idea what her emotions were lately, but she smiled through them. "Well?" He asked, finishing up the dishes. "It's official, Tree Hill here we come."

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Hope everyone reading is enjoying what I've posted so far! Until next chapter!

XOXOX