CHAPTER 1

Peyton sat on the plane, contemplating her life and everything that had happened since high school ended. It had been five years since she had been back in Tree hill. She was scared to death as she would have to see Lucas again for the first time in four years. She had stayed in Los Angeles and with the help of her best friend, Brooke Davis, she established her own record label, Red Bedroom Records. It was such an big success that Peyton never had to work again. She was just as rich as Brooke and Nathan, if not more, but Peyton Elizabeth Sawyer preferred to work. It made her forget about all the failures in her life. Especially one concerning a certain blonde haired blue eyed author she used to adore more than anything else.

Ever since Peyton could remember, Lucas has been a constant rock in her life. She never understood the pull se had towards the quiet boy. She just loved him. He was the boy that knew her inside and out. He was the boy that took care of her in her darkest hours and changed her whole world with just a gentle touch.

They had met when they were both twelve years old and they both had developed a secret crush and infatuation with one another. Lucas had sat on the grass in front of his house, petting his new golden retriever his mother had just bought him. He had named the dog rocky. Lucas was in deep conversation with Rocky when a long- legged curly haired blonde trotted past his house. That was the first time he ever saw her and he really hoped it wouldn't be the last. The first time she had seen him, she was busy sketching something interesting she had seen at school that say. Lucas came running towards her with a basketball held to his side and greeted her shyly with the words: "Do you want to play ball with me?"; he then continued to stutter on how he would teach her and would try his best to play with her in an gentle manner. She had scoffed in return and continued to berate him on the fact that she was not be treated like a girl and that she was a though person and could handle anything. He believed her.

They were best friends, even just an hour after they met. They were best friends, that had a secret crush on one another. Ever since they had met they had been through everything together. Lucas was there for her through all anniversaries of her mother's death, her failed relationship with Jake, a school shooting in their junior year, a psycho stalker attack and the fact her dad that had never been there for her. Lucas had healed her and cured the aching loneliness she had felt ever since her mother had died. Yes, he was her rock. She, in turn had been there for him when he joined the ravens team while being an outcast, his heart condition and the death of his pseudo father, Keith Scott. She had stood by him when it was revealed that it was his own father that murdered his real father figure. Somehow between all the drama and pain, their crushes became love and they hadn't bother to hide it anymore. They had finally gotten together towards the end of their final year at Tree hill high. They were perfect. She was the not so cheery cheerleader while he was their school's number three basketball player. They were inevitable and the whole school was jealous.

She had to leave for Los Angeles after she had gotten an internship at Sire records. It was her dream and Lucas knew that. So he let her go. About a year later though, Lucas decided he could no longer be away from the girl he loved more than anything. He went to surprise her in LA and proposed. Peyton, having been too shocked and wanting to have more time to accomplish their dreams, had asked for another year. To Lucas that meant she had said no. The next morning he had quietly packed his suitcase and slipped out of their hotel room silently, because he just couldn't face this girl again. Peyton woke after the door locked and was startled to find the space next to her void of the man she loved more than anything. Peyton remembered how she had waited the entire day, waiting and hoping he just had to run some errands or had gotten them some food to eat, but she already knew deep down that he had left her. He had broken his most important promise to her. For the first time in seven years she would have to walk life's journey all alone. Her rock was gone. She picked up her phone and dialled Brooke's number.

The pilot announced that their flight has landed in Tree hill and Peyton was brought back to the present. It startled her immensely. She was not ready for this. She could not face Lucas when he was with another woman. She simply could not face him if he couldn't be her rock through this. She had returned for a reason. It was time to mend her fences with everyone in Tree hill. It wasn't fair to them that she simply stayed away. For the first time in five years she was not to think about work. She just wanted to focus on spending time with the people she loved more than anything. She wasn't returning to fight for Lucas. He had abandoned her. She is just returning for a couple of months, then she would go back. That's if everything worked out. She wouldn't even have to face him. She was here to get much needed treatment from the Tree hill medical facility for cancer patients. With her heart beating furiously, she got off the plane and while on her way to find Brooke she repeatedly told a mantra to herself : "I can do this, everything is going to be just fine".