Why am I running Lucas asked himself as Keith drove them away from Tree Hill. Lucas knew he should face his problems rather than run from them. After all they would eventually catch up with him. He knew he loved Peyton, more than he ever loved Brooke. He and Peyton connected. He hated to say it but Brooke was a distraction. She merely distracted him from the fact that he had opened up to Peyton and she hadn't reciprocated, until it was too late.
The further they got from Tree Hill the closer Lucas came to the realisation that he really had fallen for Peyton. He knew he would continue to beat himself up about it until he returned to Tree Hill and explained to Peyton how he felt. It was at that instant he made his decision. He would stay in Charleston with Keith for two weeks and then he would return to Tree Hill.
He spent the next two weeks contemplating his relationship with Peyton. How was he going to rectify this situation with Peyton? He had told Keith the day before he was leaving his plan and his reasons. He promised to come visit regularly, hopefully with Peyton for company. Keith understood how could he not after what he had been through with Karen.
During the bus trip home, Luke couldn't concentrate on his book; all he could think about was Peyton. He had never felt this way about anyone before. He returned home to an empty house where he dropped his bag and headed immediately for Peyton's house. He listened to Damien Rice on the walk over. About half way there 'Delicate' started playing, making him more determined than ever to make this work. He could relate to the lyrics.
We might kiss when we are alone,
When nobody's watchin' we might take it home,
We might make-out when nobody's there,
It's not that we're scared; It's just that it's delicate...
He arrived at Peyton's door just as the song ended. He waited a couple of minutes before knocking. He prayed with all his heart that Peyton would be there alone. Someone must have been listening because his prayers were answered. Peyton opened the door and greeted him with "What are you doing here?"
"I came to see you" he replied, ignoring her tone
"Well obviously" she retorted "but what makes you think you're welcome? I'm still pissed with you Luke"
"I know and you have every right to be but please just hear me out" Lucas pleaded
"Why should I? Huh? Why should I bother? What's changed?" Peyton obviously still hurt by the final few weeks before Lucas' departure.
"Because I realised something in Charleston. I realised that I've fallen for you. I know I have made some big mistakes but that's the past, there is nothing I can do about it now, there is nothing anyone can do" Lucas poured his heart out to her. Only to have it crushed.
"I've heard this before Lucas yet you still continue to hurt me" Peyton asserted
"I know, I know, Like I said Peyton, I can't do anything about the past. I can only control the future. All I know is...is that..."He hesitated, "Is that I love you Peyton" with that Lucas walked away.
He walked slowly towards his mom's café listening to his MD wishing things had gone better with Peyton. He was greeted by Haley at the door with a giant hug. 'Haley' he thought 'God I've missed you'
"I've missed you" squealed Haley, reading his mind "It feels like an eternity since I last saw you"
"I've missed you too Hales" Lucas squeezed her tightly before letting go "Is Mom around?"
"Yeah she is in the back, I'll go get her"
His mom greeted him with as big a hug as Haley. He wished Peyton had been the same "How's my boy?" Karen asked hugging him tightly "I've missed you!"
"I missed you too Mom"
"What made you decide to come back so soon?" Haley butted in on the Mother/Son moment.
"I missed all the attention" Lucas joked avoiding the subject "So how's married life treating you and Nathan?"
"It's great, like nothing I could have imagined but Nathan's great and we love each other"
"Glad to hear you're happy" Lucas said honestly giving Haley another hug.
Lucas left the café alone, wanting to think about his relationship with Peyton. He was greeted at the Rivercourt by Peyton, his heart skipped a beat.
"Hi"
"Hi"
They stood in silence for a few moments before Peyton began "Look Lucas, I don't know what to say to you. You know how I feel about you but you also know how I feel about the things you have done"
"I know what I did was wrong but you have to understand I was confused" He paused for a moment "Do you really think I would have slept with Nikki if I had known about her history with Jake. I regret that night but I was going through a really rough time. I felt like I had nothing. No basketball. No life...No you" he finished
"Luke" she started looking into his eyes "You don't have to convince me to love you; you just have to show me I can trust you again"
"You can trust me Peyton, I've been doing a lot of thinking and I've changed. You've gotta understand"
"I want to Luke, I really do"
"Just give me, us, a chance" Lucas pleaded He moved closer to her never allowing his eyes to stray from hers
"You came to the Rivercourt for a reason, I know you did" Luke persisted
"Luke, don't" Peyton tried not to fall for him
"Don't what?" Luke asked tears forming in his eyes "Don't love you, you can't ask me to do that"
Peyton know she felt the same and there was no use denying the face. Resigning she lent in and kissed him softly on the lips tears rolling down her cheeks Lucas had been waiting for this moment for what seemed like an age. The kiss grew deeper as they both allowed themselves to become lost in each other. When the kiss ended, Lucas looked into Peyton's eyes
"I love you"
"I love you" she echoed
They spent the rest of the afternoon at the Rivercourt talking, talking about anything and everything. Lucas really felt they had connected again. Peyton felt the same way but had one worry - Brooke
"We have to tell Brooke" Peyton blurted out unexpectedly "I want us to be a couple but we have to tell Brooke first"
"I agree" Lucas replied
With that they walked hand in hand towards Brooke's house where they would tell Brooke the truth. Whether she liked it or not she couldn't fault them on their new truth telling abilities that afternoon. Brooke went mad before she realised they had done exactly what she had asked. They told her the truth. She knew she had to accept it or else she would have to return to her miserable friendless life. She didn't want that so she gave them her blessing.
After spending the evening with Brooke, Lucas walked Peyton home, before heading home himself. As he walked home he stuck in his earphones and pressed play. His mood had changed and so, so had his choice of music. Snow Patrol's Spitting Games blared in his ears. So loud he didn't hear the car coming. He stepped on to the road deep in thought; there was a deafening thud as the car connected with his body. He was thrown roughly to the ground by the impact. He felt pain run through every inch of his body before darkness enveloped him
Karen stirred when se heard the phone; she looked at the clock, 0:07. She answered the phone quickly.
"Hello?" She said groggily
"Hello, Ms Scott?"
"No, Ms Roe"
"Are you the mother of Lucas Scott?"
"Yes, is something wrong?" Karen was suddenly wide awake
"This is Tree Hill General, your son has been in an accident, you should come down here immediately" An official voice informed her.
"What? Is he okay?" Millions of thoughts raced through Karen's head
"He is in surgery as we speak, I'm afraid we won't know anymore until he is finished in surgery"
With that Karen dropped the phone and sped towards Tree Hill General.