Lost in the Past
Epilogue - Moving On
A/N - This is officially the last chapter .. not too many reviews on the last chapter but the ones I did get were very cool. A few people took the time to write what they liked and I'm glad you all liked the little reminiscing scene at the end. Now, to cut off my babbling, here is the epilogue of Lost in the Past. It's been fun, thanks a million for making this experience so awesome!
Many things happened to the Tree Hill gang in five years. Babies were born, marriages occurred, people grew up, fought, made-up, and relationships were formed. Even the kids learned a few life lessons along the way. Strangely enough the six adults remained close as ever, proving their friendship to everyone who thought otherwise. The six adults were so different, and as they all formed friendships through high school people were betting on how long they could all last without hating each other. It seemed as though they proved everyone wrong because at 29 years old they all remained the best of friends.
– 'Headlights, highways, your life collides with mine. Leavin' our shoes behind, we cross the water, our words flow from mouth, to mouth, to mouth, like fish seeking dark places. The mist covers our traces, covers our faces' –
Lucas and Peyton were still holding on, pushing through the obstacles in their path and staying together. Nearly 7 ½ months after Dan's funeral Peyton gave birth to twins, a boy and a girl. Their family was now boosted to six, which meant moving to a bigger house was inevitable. Ryan Michael Scott, and Kendall May Scott were born a few weeks premature, but healthy nonetheless. They were nearing their 5th birthdays as the months crawled by. Elizabeth Nicole Scott had just recently turned nine, she was in fourth grade, showing to her mother and father that she was just as smart as they had both been in their younger years, also taking an interest in literature at her young age. She still had her father wrapped around her pinky finger. Nathan Alexander Scott had just turned thirteen, Peyton was still coming to terms with the fact that her little boy was now thirteen.
"C'mon, Peyt, push!" he nudged gently, but she had other plans.
"Why don't you push!" she growled, the doctor sent him a sympathetic smile as he continued to extract the babies. His hand was slowly crumbling under her steel grip, but he watched in awe as his little girl was born, and only three minutes later he had another son to add to the family.
Peyton was in tears as the doctor took her babies to clean them up, Lucas leaned in placing a gentle kiss on her forehead. She let a teary eyed smile appear as he met her lips in a kiss, and only minutes later a baby girl was placed into her weary arms. Lucas took the little boy gently, his eyes wide in fascination.
"How do you like this?" she asked, referring to him being around.
"I think I could get used to it," he smirked and she shook her head.
"Uh-uh. We are so done with kids, I don't think we can handle anymore. I'm 24 and now have four kids, that's not normal, Lucas."
"What do you wanna name them? We never really figured that one out," he commented, still staring at the tiny crying infant in his arms. Very gently he rocked the little boy to a sleepy state, Peyton watched on, realizing that everything turned out okay. Life had a way of working itself out.
"I want Ryan," he looked up, surprised to hear her agree with an earlier suggestion he'd made. He nodded his head, smiling as he cradled the baby.
"Well, then I get to name her," he pointed to the baby in his wife's arms and she agreed. "Okay...I like May...no, I don't like that. Um, how 'bout Kendall?" she crinkled her nose as she thought about the strange name, and finally shrugged her shoulders.
"Are you baby Kendall?" she asked the small figure in her arms. The baby struggled to open her eyes, as though approving the name, the blonde smiled. "Kendall it is. Kendall May Scott."
"We were never normal, Peyton," he stated, making reference to a previous remark. She winked at him and looked back to the little girl in her arms.
"Welcome to our crazy family, baby girl."
– 'Headlights, highways, your life collides with mine' –
Nathan and Haley had been married a little less than a year after Dan's funeral, Peyton stood in as matron of honor being as she was already married and Taylor stepped in as maid of honor. Brooke was a bridesmaid, leaving Lucas to be the best man. Jake and Tim were groomsmen and Haley's parents came back to town to walk their daughter down the aisle. They were married only 2 months after their second baby was born. Another little boy was welcomed the other Scott family, Matthew Thomas Scott was born only a month and a half after Ryan and Kendall. Leaving them all near the same age and to all of their surprise another baby would join the small group. Another year later Haley and Nathan were visited by the stork again, this time offered a little girl to join their family. Amy Marie Scott was Nathan's little girl, and though he had his boys for basketball he looked to the little girl to protect from the animal's in the world, she was Haley's saving graces. William Joseph Scott was also in his ninth year, going to school with Liz. They remained close, though at times they did bicker. Nathan and Haley were coping with their two boys, while Haley's little girl got tortured by her older brothers.
"Hales, where's Matty's diapers?" Nathan questioned from their bedroom in the hallway.
"I dunno, I left them in his room. Have you seen Will?"
"He was playing playstation with Liz last time I saw them...oh my God," he came walking out of the bedroom disgusted. "He just peed on me!" Haley barely stifled a laugh as she headed to the basement to find her son and niece.
"Nathan, don't leave him on the bed by himself!" he took off running to the bedroom to find the baby exactly where he'd left him. His heart slowed down a little, Haley was still making her way to the basement.
"Where did they go?" she questioned herself as she saw the abandoned video game in front of the TV. Very slowly she peeked out the front door to see the two 6 year olds out in the mud puddles.
"Guys! Get in here...no! Go through the back," both of them took of running to the back porch to clean off as Haley let out a loud sigh. Lucas and Peyton came through the front door, Peyton had both of her kids in tote, deep circles ran under her eyes.
"Who knew the terrible two's started a year early?" she questioned tiredly, looking down at her one year olds that went wandering through her sister-in-law's house.
"Yea, who knew they never stopped for those two," she pointed out at Will and Liz who were still slopping mud off their clothes at each other. Lucas chuckled slighty at his daughter before walking up the stairs to find his brother.
Lucas walked in to find his younger brother shirtless and his nephew giggling on the bed. He cocked an eyebrow as he stepped in, burying his hands into his pockets.
"Hey Matty," he waved to the little boy bouncing on the bed before running over and tickling him, laughing as the little boy belly-laughed and collapsed to the bed.
"Well, at least he likes you," Nathan commented from where he stood, picking a new shirt from the closet.
"What happened to you?"
"He peed on me," Nathan sent a death glare to his son, watching as the little boy had a blast rolling all over his father's king size bed. Lucas laughed loudly before turning to his nephew again.
"You wanna see Ryan and Kendall?" the small child showed signs of excitement as Lucas lifted him from the bed and carried him downstairs to see his cousins. He entered the kitchen devoid of his nephew to see the girls sitting at the table, laughing hysterically. He sat down curiously, furrowing his eyebrows as they continued laughing.
"You wouldn't get it, Luke," Haley stated, and he stood again shaking his head.
"Matty's over in the living room with Ryan and Kendall. They're playing with those teddy bear things," Haley looked up as her eyes widened.
"Crap, Will's gonna freak out if he sees them with the bears."
Only seconds later hernine year old was having a fit that his brother had his bear as Nathan came running down, he fell over the toy cars that littered the floor.
"Damn it!"
– 'We're stepping into shelter, moving out of shadow, we made some wrong moves along the way' –
Jake and Brooke were married six months after Nathan and Haley, and to everyone's surprise Brooke was 3 months pregnant with another little girl for Jake. Their marriage had been small, down near the beach at sunset, something Brooke had always fantasized. Peyton was the maid of honor, because had no other unmarried friends. Haley also was a bridesmaid, and Lucas stood as the best man yet again, Nathan another groomsman. Jennifer Madeline Jaglieski was now only a few months past her thirteenth birthday. Her little sister, Gabrielle Lynn Jaglieski was only a few months past her fourth, but Kendall, Ryan, and Matty accepted her all the while. Half a year after Nathan and Haley's little girl, Jake finally got his little boy. Brooke was pregnant again, and was overjoyed with the way her life was coming together. Haley and Peyton couldn't be any happier for her. Tyler Benjamin Jaglieski was the youngest of the kids at that point, but Jake had never been happier, and Brooke had never had a bigger smile.
Brooke pushed her tired body out of the sheets, Jake still sleeping soundly beside her. It almost freaked her out when she looked at how normal her life had become. She went from school slut with parents who neglected her to being married to a wonderful guy with her second kid on the way, but technically she looked at Jenny like a daughter, to her this was her third. She waddled her way down the padded stairs at 4 AM to find something chocolate - her cravings had been getting to her. Jenny was upstairs sleeping, she and Jake wanted to be surprised for their first, so the baby's bedroom was a light green. (A/N: this is during the time when Brooke is pregnant with Gabrielle, not Tyler). She rummaged through the cabinets that were scattered throughout the kitchen as tears welled up in her eyes.
"I'm fat," she whimpered, looking down at her rounded belly. She wiped a few stray tears before picking the phone up and dialing her best friend's number, a groggy blonde answered.
"H-hello?" a groggy, pregnant blonde.
"Peyton...do you wanna go for a walk?"
"Brooke, you wanna go for a walk, in our condition, at this time of night? Wait...do you even know what time it is!"
"Peyton, what if I can't do this? What if I can't raise these two kids, and be a good wife for Jake, what if I'm not what he wants," her tears overcame her as the pregnancy hormones kicked in full force.
"Okay...okay. I'll go for a walk, but you so owe me for walking with you at 4 AM," the blonde teased and got a small laugh from her friend on the other line.
"Peyton,"
"Yea?"
"Can you bring Haley too?" those five simple words brought a smile to Peyton's face. They were finally all close enough to talk about the bad things, the things only she and Brooke used to share, it showed Brooke was slowly trusting Haley, and it brought a wave of relief to Peyton.
"Yea."
Ten minutes later the three pregnant girls walked along the River Court, more waddling than anything, but they continued on. Brooke's tears pooled in her eyes, the effects of the pregnancy taking their toll on her as Peyton and Haley had already had children before.
"I'm gonna screw it up, I know it. I never had parents, they were never around, and let's face it...none of us ever had role model parents. Nathan's family was fucked up, his dad was crazy and his mom was just, well she was Deb. Lucas had one parent, and his father wanted nothing to do with him, But I was never close to Karen. Tutor-wife, your parents were never home by the time you were born, and P. Sawyer your dad was always gone too. Jake's parents are the only partially normal parents I know, and I barely know them...not enough to get advice anyway."
"Brooke, you've basically raised Jenny since the two of you got together. I say she looks pretty good to me, minus the fact that she hangs with Peyton's little brat," Haley giggled at the end of her sentence, watching Peyton feign a gasp. Even Brooke laughed , and the two girls covered their mouths in shock.
"Oh my God!" Haley shouted into the dark night.
"Did B. Davis just smile!" Peyton finished, rewarded with another round of giggles from the pregnant brunette. They sat laughing for another five minutes before either of them could find the self-control to calm themselves.
"Brooke, you know we love you right?" Peyton asked her gently, her hand coming to her stomach subconsciously.
She shook her head slowly, as Peyton and Haley encircled her for an awkward hug, having to accommodate their large stomachs.
"You'll do fine. You're gonna be a great mom, as long as he or she doesn't go hanging with Peyton's kids. They're a bad influence," Haley pretended to whisper, knowing full well that Peyton heard every word, whacking her friend in the arm, a few laughs escaping all of them.
– 'Oh, we might have strayed, will I forget your face and your fluid gait, or will I stare into the stillness, this is where I miss you, so long' –
Present Day
The crowd of people gathered at the River Court, being it wasn't really a crowd, just the Scott and Jaglieski families. But from an outsiders point of view it did look like a small crowd. A small going away party had formed, for the loss of a family from the small crowd. Jake had been offered a college coaching job in Florida for a sizeable amount of money, a sum that he could not pass up if he wanted to support his ever-growing family. Brooke had been shocked when he came home, revealing that they were moving to Florida. Jenny had run off in tears, angry with her father for making her leave her friends and family. Gabrielle, who was almost three, hadn't understood the situation, Tyler sat on the carpet with his toy cars blowing spit bubbles, absolutely oblivious to the pain the rest of his family was feeling at the moment.
He was all smiles that evening as he entered the house to inform his wife of the opportunity. He was honored to have been offered such a high position, especially when so many men had been ahead of him, it didn't occur at the time how much of a change it might be.
"Brooke!" he yelled through the halls, too happy that he completely forgot that the kids might've been sleeping. Brooke ran down the stairs, shushing him along the way, but jumping into his arms nonetheless.
"Where's Jenny? I've got some news," he told her excitedly. Her eyes flashed a sparkle as she ran up the stairs to retrieve the little girl.
"Hey dad," she waltzed past him to the refrigerator, apparently hunting down some kind of food.
"Jen, I've got some big news!"
"Shoot," she called from behind the door. He rolled his eyes before walking to her, closing the door and pulling her to the living room where he stood.
"Okay, so I was at the school, running the guys around and this coordinator comes up to me, introduces himself and says he's from down in Florida and all that. So, anyway, he started talking about what a good coach I've been, how we've won so many championships that I must be doing something right. He tells me he wants me down in Florida to coach the college basketball team!" he shouted.
Brooke's eyes widened as the inevitable question flew out of her mouth. "Did you take it?"
"Of course I did! I mean I needed to if I wanna keep supporting us, there's no other option, Brooke."
"So...we have to move?" Jenny inserted, quietly. Jake's eyes darkened for the briefest of seconds.
He nodded, awaiting her reaction. She stood abruptly, looking at her father through the anger blurring her eyes.
"I'm not moving! All my friends are here. Nathan's here. Aunt Peyton, Uncle Luke, Uncle Nate, Aunt Haley, all my cousins are here, Dad! I'm not leaving!" she screamed, her emotions spewing out of her mouth faster than she could process her thoughts. Tears overwhelmed her as she ran off, out the front door towards an unknown destination. Tyler started to scream as Brooke ran up the stairs to find the little boy, and Gab sat in tears at her mother and sister's quick departure. Jake stood dumbfounded, feeling stupid and very upset with himself.
– 'That what's done, how come we've gone? So much time's been wasted, so many thoughts been lost on you' –
"I'm gonna miss you B. Davis," Peyton said through tears as she wrapped her arms tightly around one of her best friends. Brooke's tears came quickly too, but she tried to hold it together.
"P. Sawyer. I'll be back, you can come visit," then very quietly she spoke for Peyton's ears only, "but I'll miss you too, best friend."
It wasn't that Florida was all that far away, but for Peyton it was the fact that she couldn't walk down the street to walk into Brooke and Jake's house.She wouldn't get to watch Jenny, Gab, and Tyler grow up to be the people Jake and Brooke raised them to be, not to mention her son was heartbroken. And no matter how hurt she was feeling, she had gotten 20 something years with Brooke, her little boy had only gotten 13 with Jenny - not enough for any pair of friends. And it was him that she felt the worst for.
She turned her head as she backed out of Brooke's embrace, finding her son sitting on the grass near the river, barely moving, but she could feel his tears. Jenny on the other hand was running with the little kids, laughing like nothing was wrong, and right then Peyton felt a pang hit her heart. How was it that no matter what she went through and how bad it hurt, other kids would still go and make her mistakes? Jenny was blocking it all in, trying not to show how much it was hurting to let her best friend go. But her son, on the other hand reminded her in all ways of her blonde husband.
"Hey," she sat down quietly next to her son, whose knees were pulled up into his chest, his head sunk down as he wiped at a few stray tears.
"I don't wanna talk," he said loud enough for her to hear.
"I didn't say you had to. I just wanted to sit."
"Mom."
"Okay, maybe I did come to talk to you. But you can't do this to yourself, Nate. We can go visit, you can call her, there's computers, letters. We don't live in the stone age, ya know?"
He smiled very slowly and she nudged her shoulder into his. He fell over and pushed himself back up, still facing the water.
"It's not the same," he told her quietly.
"I know. Look, I'm losing a best friend too. I know what this feels like -"
"But you don't. You got to grow up with Aunt Brooke. I barely got 13 years, mom. If you haven't noticed I really don't have too many more friends, I'm not exactly popular," she smiled sympathetically at her son's words. Had she been that intelligent at 13? She wasn't sure, but she wanted to help him.
"Neither was your dad..."
"He had Aunt Haley. What am I gonna do?" his question would've seemed so innocent to a stranger, but Peyton knew her son. The question was complex, full of smaller questions that she didn't have the knowledge to answer accurately.
"You're gonna keep going, buddy. You're gonna get your butt up off this grass, go have fun with Jen while she's still here, and you're gonna live your life, with or without Jenny life keeps going," his watery eyes lifted to look at his mother. He nodded his head and looked back to the river.
"C'mon," she grabbed his arm, pulled him up and back to the group. He rolled his eyes, but somehow trying to silently thank God for giving him a mother who understood.
– 'Headlights, highways, your life collides with mine' –
Hours Later ... just before the departure.
"Jen, do you have everything?" Brooke questioned the little girl she considered her daughter, and she nodded.
"I gotta go somewhere though."
"Where?"
"I have to say good bye to Nathan. I can't leave yet," in any other case Brooke could've firmly said no, but those sad, brown eyes made her wilt, she immediately caved and waved the little girl out the front door. She had lucked out, seeing as Jenny had turned out nothing like she had been in her early teenage years. 'All the better for Jenny' Brooke always told herself.
'BANG, BANG, BANG!' Nathan heard upon the front door. Peyton and Lucas had taken the rest of the kids to Nathan and Haley's, getting them out of the house on the nice night that had been bestowed upon them. He let out a frustrated sigh as he pulled the door open, revealing his best friend who stood with tear filled eyes. She launched herself into his strong arms, wrapping them tightly around his neck as she cried.
"I don't wanna leave you, you know that?" her words were soft, but he heard as his eyes filled too.
"I'll miss you, Jen."
"You too, Nate...can we go to the River Court? One more time?" she pleaded with the blonde boy, he nodded silently. They walked slowly, savoring the last few moments.
"I can't believe I'm leaving you," she told him, her voice still full of resentment for her father.
"I'll visit."
"It's not the same."
"Yea, I know...but it's the best I can do," she nodded, hooking her arm around his, pulling close as the wind fell upon them.
"My mom said we can come down this summer with Uncle Nate and Aunt Haley...and all the kids," her mood rose slightly, but fell at the thought of summer seeming so far away.
Very quietly the night descended, but they stayed. She heard her family's footsteps as they approached down the street. Tyler, Gab, Ryan, Kendall, Matty, and Amy all trailed along, laughing as they ran through the leaves that covered the streets.
Jenny remained balled up next to Nathan, he sat on the grass near the river again, propped up on his hands. Her tears came swiftly now, he held his in, making sure he stayed strong for the both of them. He was only thirteen, he couldn't deal with it, neither could she. But their parents had made it apparent that they had to, it was for the best...one day they would understand.
"You gotta go," he voiced.
"I can't. I won't."
"Jen, you do."
"Don't make me go," she begged, and it broke his heart as he wiped a few tears away. As his thumbs made contact with her cheek she knew right there that she wasn't leaving without saying goodbye the right way. She wouldn't go to Florida and fall for some other boy, she would cement her relationship with her best friend, for good. She knew they were coming, but she had time - enough.
– 'Cold wind rushes down on my face, smoke heats the black throat of the chimney' –
Very slowly, time seemed to stand still as he made the first move, reading her mind - those very private thoughts. He met her lips in an awkward but gentle first kiss, and she responded quickly, surprising them both with her boldness. He had opted not to follow her to the airport, or his parents had decided for him. This was all he had as they both pulled away, breathless and in awe. She stood, let her hand leave his and walked to her parents in tears, crying hysterically with grief. Brooke, Peyton, and Haley all stood, knowing it wasn't like Haley's departure. Brooke was down there for good, she wasn't coming back in a few years. They were growing up. The girls hugged, mixed with tears and a few stifled giggles as memories resurfaced. The guys did the macho hugging as the little girl approached the group. They managed to load Gab and Tyler into the car and struggled to put the rest of the little ones into a wagon so they could go to the sandbox. Jenny ran at full force into her mother's arms, the sobs wracking her body as Brooke smoothed her hair, shushing her with a few words. Peyton and Haley's eyes filled at the sight, watching the little girl they had helped raise crying her eyes out at the loss. Brooke cried as she put herself into the passenger seat next to Jake.
Jenny furiously wiped at her eyes, watching Nathan still standing by the river, watching the car pick up speed. Brooke wasn't stupid, she knew what had just occurred between the two kids. She knew exactly why Jenny was even more upset now than before. And now it practically ripped her heart in two to see Jenny leaving someone she truly cared about, as more than a friend now.
The car moved faster and Nathan watched it fall off the face of the earth down the street, he took off running. Lucas got in front of his son, blocking his way to the street as his little boy's face contorted in anger.
"Move!"
"No," Lucas asserted, still standing.
"Move," his voice broke a little more, a crack coming through.
"I'm not moving, Nathan."
"Please," he cracked and finally for the first time in days the tears fell freely. Peyton watched her son start to cry, something she hadn't seen since Dan's funeral five years ago. Ever since then he blocked himself off, not wanting anyone to break his tough facade.
He started to punch, wanting so badly to get away, he made his fists move, hitting his father as Lucas tried to calm him, but no such luck as the tears poured out. Peyton ran over from where she stood, nearly 30 yards away, grabbing his arm and pulling him to her. Her thirteen year old just found out heartbreak first hand, and it hurt her too. Nate, Haley, and Lucas watched as Nathan let his head drop over his mother's shoulder, his arms fell loosely, tiredlyaround her neck as he poured his heart out.
The large family stood, all feeling the effects of Brooke and Jake's sudden departure. Peyton's little boy stood, still swatting at his tears, unbelieving that he cried like that in front of everyone.
"I can't do this," he said quietly, only Peyton heard him. If she remembered anything from her teenage years, she knew to let him go. And that was what she did.
"Go ahead," she whispered, slipping him behind her as he took off, away from all the hurt. There they stood seeming to await the car's return. But it hit Peyton like a sledge hammer, Brooke and Jake weren't coming back, time to move on. Time to grow up, she took the wagon full of kids to the sand and dirt for them to take full advantage, and she pushed on, as did the rest of her newfound family. She refused to be stuck in another rut, though her whole life had seemed to be one big downfall. She wasn't going to get lost in those past memories or the past, she was going to take her own advice, because life didn't stop for her pain.
– 'The door is open, come on inside' –
Thanks so much for reading Lost in the Past. Keep an eye out for some updates on my other stories and the sequel: The Time Before We Go. It'll be posted soon! Feedback and reviews are welcome, hopefully it wasn't too dramatic, I personally liked it. What'd you think? The song was "Headlights" by Dispatch.