Author's Note: I have written fanfic for many years, but this is my first One Tree Hill story. I have always liked OTH (especially once Lucas and Brooke broke up – I hated them together), but never enough to write fanfic. Until now.

________________________________________________________________________

A Raven's Cry

by the Yellow Dart

________________________________________________________________________

Peyton groaned as she reluctantly opened her eyes. Light streamed in through the window, almost like it was mocking her. Stifling a yawn, she gazed across Lucas's empty side of the bed at the alarm clock. The numbers were startlingly clear. "10:30? Damn it," Peyton muttered, suddenly aware of exactly how late she was.

Reluctantly pushing the blankets off her legs, she ran her hands across her face to wipe at least some of the sleep from her eyes. As she stretched to crack her back, she found herself gazing longingly at Lucas's empty side of the bed.

Laughing at herself, she tried to ignore the pangs of loneliness. When had she turned into such a sap? In the last few months, maybe she had lost her mind.

Shaking her head, she slid her bare feet to the ground and padded toward the bathroom, internally scolding herself for being so dependent on Lucas. She had lived on her own for so many years, but now, without him, she couldn't even set her alarm clock correctly.

As she showered and dressed, she went over the day's schedule in her mind. There was no question about it: today was going to drag. All she had to do was paperwork, paperwork and more paperwork. After neglecting them for a few weeks with the USO benefit and with Mia back in town, the contracts and bills had grown into a small mountain on her desk. But she couldn't ignore it any longer. Just the thought made her head pound.

Hoping to stop her pounding headache before it really started, she popped a few ibuprofen after she brushed her teeth. As she applied her makeup, she tried not to think any more about the boring day ahead.

Sighing, Peyton slipped her shoes on and grabbed her phone from the dresser before she headed out the door. When she looked at the phone, she noticed a text from Lucas. With a slight frown, she realized that he must have sent it while she was in the shower or when she was getting dressed.

As she read his simple message of love, her lips curved into a small smile. A blush spread across her cheeks as she read further as his words grew sexier and more flirtatious. Although she wasn't any more ready to face the day, at least she knew her fiancé loved her. And maybe that would give her the energy to conquer her work. The sooner the day was over, the sooner Lucas would be home.

On her way to her car, her well-trained fingers typed a quick message in reply and sent it to Lucas. She hoped it would make him realize that he had a fiancée who loved him, too. And just maybe it would brighten the day she knew he dreaded.

________________________________________________________________________

Today was going to be . . . long. Barely listening to Dixon's latest rant about the script, Lucas glanced surreptitiously at his watch and tried to hide a groan. Only one o'clock. "Damn it," he muttered. He didn't even have a chance to check his messages because Dixon wouldn't give him a moment's peace.

"Did you say something?" Dixon didn't even look up from whatever he was doing in the corner of the room. For all Lucas knew, Dixon was snorting more coke off his script or doing something equally disgusting.

Although Lucas wanted to speak out -- to call Dixon the ass he was -- he restrained himself. Through his teeth, Lucas managed to choke out a response. "No, I didn't say anything."

"Oh," Dixon answered, crossing the distance between them, "guess I'm hearing things." Without letting Lucas say anything else, Dixon changed the subject, "Now, let's talk about this piece of shit script."

Lucas's mouth dropped. "What?" He wanted nothing more at this moment than to punch that cocky look off Dixon's face.

"You heard me." Dixon laughed almost maniacally. "Now, I just don't see it; why does Lucas have to end up with Peyton?"

Voice laced with barely restrained anger, Lucas said, "Have you even read the book . . . or the script?"

"I have read the script. But I don't buy it. The script. The relationship. Lucas and Peyton --"

Staring at Dixon like he had grown a horn out of the middle of his forehead, Lucas growled, "-- Belong together." His voice grew to a barely restrained yell. "You obviously haven't even read the book. It's a love story. Lucas and Peyton's love story."

Cocking his head to the side, Dixon said, "Nope, I don't see it."

Towering over Dixon, with a menacing look on his face, Lucas growled, "Look harder."

With eyes wide like a madman Dixon jumped onto the coffee table. "I told you, I don't see it. Lucas and Haley, I see."

"How?" Lucas's expression turned to one of disdain. "Nowhere --"

Dixon interrupted, "-- Even though it's cliché, I guess I can see Lucas and Brooke --"

"-- No." The response was unequivocal.

Dixon shrugged, "Audiences will love it. " With an evil tint in his eyes, Dixon added, "And I guess . . . if we're looking for a slightly different audience, I can see Lucas and, what's his name, Skills --"

"-- What?" At this point, Lucas was virtually certain that Dixon was insane. Squinting at Dixon, Lucas declared, "Peyton. He's with Peyton. Or else there is no movie." Contract be damned.

To be Continued