Love Letter

Rating: PG
Characters/Pairings: Lucas, implied Lucas/Lindsey and Lucas/Peyton.
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters from One Tree Hill.
Author's Note: Just a short one-shot that came out of nowhere...lol.

Premise: Lucas finds inspiration for his next book.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

"I think I might write for a while," Lucas Scott said softly, sitting down in front of his laptop, trying to internally organize the ideas in his mind.

His editor girlfriend Lindsey Strauss smiled at him pleasantly. "That's great, Luke," she replied, pleased that his writer's block had subsided. She kissed his cheek and headed down the hall to his bedroom.

Lucas sat still for a minute, thinking about what he wanted to say. He tried to push past the events of the day. One event in particular anyway: seeing his ex-girlfriend Peyton Sawyer.

Seeing her on the River court had been a surprise, not at all pleasant given the last time he saw her was the morning after she said she wasn't ready to marry him. He'd kissed her goodbye and slipped out of their hotel room and left a sleeping Peyton to her dreams. He'd been so hurt that he couldn't face her, so lost that he didn't know what he'd do without her, but too stubborn to swallow his pride and accept her reasons.

Though he'd never admit it aloud, he was quite a bit like his father. More than he ever cared to admit. When he wanted something, he wanted it right at that moment and was quite put off to receiving anything less than his heart's desire.

Seeing the blonde, green-eyed bombshell again disheartened him. Not only because seeing her drudged up those feelings of rejection but it made him think of the life they could have had together. He could see it clearly still, even after three years of being away from her. He could see him being an accomplished novelist and Peyton being the music producer or artist or both if she chose. Peyton Sawyer, his Peyton could do anything.

He sighed and scolded himself for the traitorous thought. Peyton wasn't his anymore. He'd left her and the life he wanted with her. He was with Lindsey now, and he did love her. Lindsey was kind and considerate; and she brought out the stable side of him. And it was nice. Nice and safe. She didn't bring out the passionate side of Lucas Scott. The side that would fly to LA and ask a girl to marry him. The side that would face the deathly quiet halls of a school with a shooter on the loose alone to find and protect a friend.

Peyton did, however. Peyton brought out all facets of his personality and melded them together into one. With Peyton he was Lucas, just Lucas, and he didn't have to be anything else.

God, he missed her.

Missed the smell of her hair when she just stepped out of the shower. Missed the way she smiled at him before falling asleep, her hair fanning the pillow next to his. He would stay awake a little longer just to watch her sleeping contentedly by his side. He even missed the way she couldn't cook.

Though he'd never admit it, his pride wouldn't allow him to, he was glad she came back home. He was glad to have his friend back and part of him hoped they could rebuild the friendship they once had. The one he cherished with his whole heart.

The screensaver darkened his screen and reclaimed his attention. He moved the mouse and the screen came back revealing the blank page where his words were supposed to be.

He closed his eyes and tried to think. Tried to quiet his thoughts and formulate the words to express what he wanted to say… but the only thing he could think of was Peyton. Lucas could only think of the way he felt seeing her again, the good and the bad. He thought of the way she always made him feel. Of the way she believed in him. Of the way they'd lost each other, of the way they hurt each other and of the unspoken words that they never got a chance to say.

Lucas eyes opened as the idea hit him suddenly.

He started to type away furiously on the keyboard, the words flowing from his fingers the way he wished they could come from his lips.

He'd done this before years ago: writing a book to express the words he couldn't say… and it had turned out to be the most profound writing he'd ever done. This, he felt, would be better.

He held on to his thoughts of Peyton and typed the words that clearly portrayed the way he felt for her and their journeys together and apart. He hoped that would give him some peace. A chance to finally let her go and to move on with his life… but he doubted it.

His love for Peyton was unending.

And as it was… his most treasured inspiration.

- The End -