Chapter One:

You don't know me, or do you?

Rolling her cart lazily down the hallway to what she'd like to call "her office", Peyton Sawyer thought of when she'd finally move on to her actual dream job. It's true she's working in one of the biggest music labels, but what does she actually do? Prepare coffee and deliver mail!

She is there within the building watching the creation of new music and the arising of new artists but she doesn't get to participate - honestly, most of the music they do nowadays are just absolute bullshit to her, it's not what real music should be- yet, she's full of ideas and has heard all of those bands that really delivers the message, touch a soul, yet, stay in the shadows, and when she propose the idea to her manager, he laughs and asks for his coffee.

Peyton's dreams were so close, yet, so far away.

Her day has been kind of going through a certain routine, she wakes up hoping that today is going to be the day it all changes allowing her naïve self to take over, and then go to work, get turned down and just do her usual tasks, during lunch break she determine that she is never going to spend another day in this fucked up place, but then after lunch she sees the woman who used to do her job two years ago going around with her newest signed up artist and remember how it just changed for her one of those days.

As for the weekends she either spend them at home or she hears about a new band, jump in her comet and drive away to get the pleasure of listening to them.

Peyton Sawyer is a loner.

And she has always been, at least for as long as she remembers.

Peyton was adopted when she was a baby and then when she was fifteen her mother died, her dad didn't take it very well, he tended to go away for his work so much more, well, they needed the extra money anyway, but the way Peyton saw it is that she wouldn't have minded cutting money down a little bit if it meant having him around more. Yet, she didn't blame him for it.

Ever since her fifteenth year, Peyton Sawyer learned to adapt with loneliness. She had a few friends here and there, but no best friend, a couple of boyfriends, but no one serious. Peyton was aware it was her own making though, she doesn't commit, because she believes in her heart that people always leave, either willingly or unwillingly, so, she chooses to protect herself by not getting so close with people.

And that's not just because of her mother's death and father's working schedule.

Peyton thanked God that the day is finally over, and so is the week, which meant she can ride her vehicle and drive the stress away until she reached her destination and treat herself with this new band she heard about, and a few drinks…

XxXx

She drove to her small apartment and quickly washed up and packed up some stuff for two days use in a shoulder bag and left to start her drive. She stopped at burger king to grab a bite to go and started driving again one hand on the wheel and the other holding her burger. She has already inserted a CD allowing The Cure to entertain her the whole time.

About forty five minutes of driving on the road, and another CD of The Cure was playing, the sun was quickly setting, and the road was nearly empty, she saw a guy standing at a distance with a bag on his shoulder and an extended arm with a thumb up for the coming cars to stop. She saw a couple of cars pass by without even slowing down.

The car in front of her stopped for him and they exchanged a few rushed words before the car drove away.

It was her turn to pass by him, and honestly she wasn't going to stop either, but he kinda went as far as throwing himself in front of her car forcing her to hit the brakes.

"Are you crazy?!" she screamed out.

The guy looked at her apologetically, and held his hands in front of his chest in defense, "Look, I'm so sorry, I shouldn't have done that, but I really need a ride."

"Oh yeah? And why should I drive a crazy hitchhiker who jumps in front of cars on a freaking highway!" she said sarcastically adding an eye-roll towards the end.

"Hmm.. Judgmental." He muttered and Peyton narrowed her eyes at him, "Listen, let's just say that if you get me to Blue Lake you'd be saving people."

"You're heading to Blue Lake?"

"Yup. It's not that far, it's-"

"I know where it is." She cut him off with an attitude. And then silence fell upon them for a while, him just staring casually at her with hopeful blue eyes and she eyeing him skeptically.

"So…?" he broke the staring contest after about thirty seconds with a sly grin already expecting the answer.

She rolled her eyes, "Ugh, get in."

He didn't waste a second as he skipped to the passenger seat and hoped in the car in one swift move.

"Just to be clear, you don't touch the stereo and you don't touch my CDs."

"Fine!" he shrugged casually as Peyton started driving again in silence.

He just sat there seemingly relaxed with his bag on resting on his lap and his arms extended one on the top of the seat and the other alongside his door allowing the soft wind to relax him as he took deep breaths in relaxation.

Peyton was aware of his actions and when she realized he's not paying attention to her, she took in his appearance. He was tall and his body was well-built. Even though he was wearing a button up long-sleeved shirt, she could already know he has strong arms and a matching strong chest, he had the sleeves rolled up to his elbow and there was a big expensive watch hanging around his wrist, the guy must be rich! Or a criminal for all he knows!

As for his features, he had sandy blonde messy hair, and deep narrow blue eyes, his nose was taking a sharp angel if you look at it from the side, it made Peyton wanna laugh. His lips though, were just… nice. At least, that's what she told herself. But, she admitted that the man was definitely good-looking… in the hot kinda way.

"That's me inside your head!" He said as her heart skipped a beat, what?! Is he a freaking mind-reader?!

"Huh?"

"I couldn't help but notice. Your shirt. NOFX. Nice."

"Oh…" was all she managed to say. She mentally laughed at her own stupidity. Of course he meant the shirt.

"It's a nice ride, you've got by the way." He said patting the metal door under his right hand.

"Yup. It is." She replied shortly.

Another period of silence passed by until he broke it once again, "So, where you heading?"

"I thought we were going to Blue Lake." She smirked.

"Yeah, I am. But where are you actually going?"

She shrugged, "Just Blue Lake." She said extending her sentence.

He got the hint and stopped asking once again letting the conversation die and The Cure scream their hearts out, after a while he began humming along with the song and bit by bit his voice got louder and louder.

"Stop. Stop. STOP." Peyton yelled at him. When he stopped she snapped, "You have a terrible voice."

"Hey! I'm not having much options here! Apparently, you're a no-talker and you don't even follow up with conversations either… and… and… you listen to The Cure!"

"What's wrong with The Cure?" she narrowed her arms.

"Nothing!"

"No, that was totally something! What's wrong with them?!" She was worked up, she wasn't just going to let that total stranger throw mean comments and get away with it. He's already ruined her peace bubble when he jumped in front of her car.

"They suck that's what wrong."

She gasped, "What?!"

"I can't believe somebody is actually listening to them!"

Peyton was lost for words for a second, "First of all, you don't know me! Second of all… you don't know me!"

"Jeez! I'm sorry… you asked."

Peyton just didn't reply and he didn't feel right saying anything else. She reached out and turned the volume up as he chuckled bitterly shaking his head and looked out the window. The night was kicking in and the darkness made it easier to ignore each other.

A while after when she calmed herself down, she started feeling guilty; the guy was trying to make a small conversation and she chose to take it the wrong way, maybe he was just being nice. In fact, he showed no sign in being a serial-killer so far, nor a bad guy, well, except for The Cure comment but she pushed him.

She's being an up-tight ass bitch and she needed to ease up a little and have fun… that's what her father always say whenever he sees her.

She sighed and turned down the volume a little, "So… um, are you a doctor?" she asked.

"What?" he frowned.

"Earlier you said that people will be saved if you got to Blue Lake quickly."

"Oh, no, I'm not." He replied shortly much like she did earlier.

"What do you do then?" she asked quietly.

"What are you doing?" he asked a little taken aback.

She huffed uneasily, "Attempting to start a conversation?"

"So, you're done being mean and bit-"

"Don't even say it."

He chuckled, "Fair enough."

"So…"

"Look, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that."

"You're apologizing a lot, don't you think?" She said with little attitude.

"And she's back."

She relaxed and planted a smile on her lips, "Sorry. It's just, how can you not listen to The Cure?"

"That's what you're mad about? I kinda insulted you, you know."

"Yeah, I got you back for this one. But, The Cure, come on, you were singing along."

"Yeah, you didn't leave me much of a choice. It was either that or talk to myself, and I guess you already think I'm crazy as it is."

"So, you just can't get your lips sealed."

Even in the dark, his smirk was all over the place, "No, those lips just work all the damn time."

She let out a loud laugh and shook her head at him. This time the conversation died peacefully.

He took a deep fresh breath, "Don't you ever feel like keep driving and not stopping. Like leave everything behind and just drive?" he asked.

She glanced at him to see his look and found he's serious, just stating his thoughts. She shrugged, "Yeah, I guess."

"Then why don't you do it?"

"Well, I just can't leave everything behind like that." She replied logically.

"Why not? You seem tense. I assume you don't like your job?"

"It's not-"

"Do you have anybody here then?"

"No, but you don't know-"

"Well, I think you just need a motivation."

"What the hell are you talking about?" He was being very calm as he talked that she just didn't know if she should freak out and question his mental state anyway.

"Think about it that way, you can quit your job over a phone call, you can start off somewhere new and even have your dream job. You can meet new people, or who knows reconnect with old friends or family, you can just start off with a new page and new adventure and a new life… probably better."

"Why do you assume it's better?"

"Well, that depends on you. But you should know what you hate about your current life and change that in your new one."

"Aha, and is that what you do?"

"No, but, I could."

Peyton shook her head unconvinced with the whole idea as they passed the 'Welcome to Blue Luke' sign.

"Where do you want me to drop you off?"

"By the hospital," he replied hurriedly, "But, what do you think?"

"About what?"

"The leaving idea!"

"I just think you owe to your life and yourself to try. Not just drop everything and run away."

"True. But, when you're in a state of misery I think you must have tried everything you could already, and then, it won't be called running away, it's called saving your life."

She thought for a while and frowned, "Actually, I think you're right…" she said absentmindedly. She just couldn't argue with this sentence.

"Great, let's do it then."

"What?" she snapped out of her thoughts.

"Let's keep driving."

She laughed loudly.

"I'm being serious."

"Okay, even if I'm gonna do this; I'm absolutely not doing it with a complete stranger!"

"We have the road to change that."

She laughed not taking his words serious, "Aha, and where do we head?"

"I don't know, North Carolina."

"Mhmmm, why?"

"I don't know. I'll need to be there anyway."

"Dude! You just said you need to be in Blue Lake and let me drive you all the way down here!"

"Yeah, and now, I will let you drive me down there too. To North Carolina."

"You want me to drive you all the way across the country, huh?"

"Yeah, pretty much."

"Sure…"

"I'm being serious,"

"God! Serious about what, you fucking idiot?!"

"Jeez, calm your nerves, woman."

She rolled her eyes and chuckled as she came to a stop at a red light and the hospital was just across the road.

"Okay, you're here. Get out of my car."

He looked over at the hospital, then at her, "Alright, but, just so you know, one day, you are going to drive me across the country to North Carolina." He winked.

She rolled her eyes once more, "Well, I guess I was right all along, you're freaking crazy." She said as he smiled, "Now, go."

"Alright," he said and jumped out of the car just like he got in. Peyton sighed and watched as he crossed the street, and then looked ahead getting lost in her own thoughts.

"HEY!" she snapped out of it before even starting to think and looked his way as he stood across the street with his smirk, "Thanks for the ride, Peyton Elizabeth Sawyer." He said and gave her a military wave before turning around and walking away leaving Peyton like a deer lost in the lights.

He just called her by her name!

Her full freaking name.

She once again jumped as the cars behind her started beeping and horning. She looked at the light and saw it was now green. She quickly moved and made up her mind as she took a U-turn to follow him.

But, by the time she was there, she couldn't find the so called stranger anywhere…

Hi, guys. I don't think anybody here know me, I used to write on Fanfic for the Hannah Montana category, so, I'm new to the OTH world. But, I'm already so soaked to back out. As you probably figured, this story is AU. It's going to be Leyton Naley and Brulian. Keith is definitely alive. This was just the start and I hope it wasn't boring. I have been away from writing for a while and my attempts to come back were lame, until this story came, it has been years since I sat and wrote a whole chapter at once, let alone a 2000+ word one. So, it's fair to say I'm pretty excited about this story and I hope you guys like it.

I hope you let me know what you think of it :)