A/N: This happens directly after the finale, but the only change is that Nathan and Haley get to their honeymoon without the whole limo in the water deal. Please R&R!

She sniffed again, inhaling the lingering smell of burnt paper when she did so. Her eyes found their way over to the source of the smell as she watched the flame die. It looked like nothing more than embers now. Embers that had sparked the end of a friendship..and a decision for her. Her mind had wandered as the drawing burned. It focused mainly on Brooke. The name alone made her sad...but angry. She felt guilty for being angry with her but she couldn't help it. Part of her wanted to hang on to Brooke. They had been friends for ten years..she had helped her through the death of two mothers, an absent father...but she also had the one thing that Peyton wanted...no the one person she needed more than anything. The one person she knew she couldn't live without. But could she live without Brooke? The person who slapped her for being honest and for questioning her true feelings about him? Part of her wanted to give up Brooke..and take him. But what if she gave up Brooke...and he still wanted her? What if she lost both of them? Was that a risk she was willing to take? Was he worth it?

She blinked more tears from her eyes. But he wouldn't pick her. He would pick Brooke, again. Why was she so stupid to think she could actually have him? She should've learned her lesson after all this time. Why couldn't she get over him? Why? She had Jake. Jake loved her like she wanted to be loved..was that not good enough for her for some reason? How was it that Lucas was still there in her heart? After all the time, and the hurt, how did he still posess her like he did? He posessed her heart..and hehad for so long now. Why?Why couldn't she just love Jake back...? The way that he loved her. Why did everything always come back to Lucas?

She sighed and tried to wipe the tears off her face. She knew the answer to that question at least: She loved him. As much as she tried to deny it, bury it, hide it, or ignore it..it was there. And it was killing her more and more everyday. Loving a boy who didn't love her back. Who was obviously in love with another girl. She couldn't do this anymore. She wouldn't sit here and cry pathetically over a boy. Or a friendship that she lost. There were bigger things in life..things like..well, that's what she was going to find out. She was going to forget about him..forget about Brooke..all of it. She was just going to get in her car..and drive. Away from all of them...away from her heart. She would run from the truth like she always did...and keep running. To run meant to leave her heart behind in Tree Hill. Good. Her heart had endured enough pain. She would be rid of it.

Resigned, so rose from her seat on the bed. She turned and headed towards the closet to grab a bag, her clouded tear-filled vision stopping her from seeing the figure that watched from the doorway. She shoved some clothes in her bag and moved towards the door, tears now running down her face. But she stopped short, her heart clenching in her chest when she saw a figure in the doorway, blocking her path.

"What are you doing?" he asked her, his blue eyes wide.

For some reason the appearance of him in her room made her angry. He had stopped her from leaving..from running away. But then again, he wasn't there for her, was he? She wiped the tears off her face. "Looking for Brooke?" she asked him coldly.

Lucas' face crinkled at the tone of her voice, but he nodded just the same. "I was..yeah," he said slowly. He looked her over, taking in the fact that she hadn't changed her clothes since the wedding, the tears on her face, and then the bag in her hand.

"She's not here.." Peyton muttered bitterly. "Sorry to dissapoint. Try her cell phone, she'll answer it for you." She walked a few steps towards him, figuring that he would move out of her way when she reached him. But he didn't budge. "Lucas.." she said, exasperated.

"What are you doing?" he asked again. He sniffed the air, picking up the scent of burned paper. "And what is burning?"

Peyton felt panic rise within her, and her eyes betrayed her by glancing at the garbage can that help the smoldering drawing. "Nothing," she said quickly.

He left his position at the door and followed her eyes to the garbage can. He lifted out the drawing that was smoking..and enough of it still remained for him to tell what it was. He glanced to the wall to see the empty spot of where the drawing used to be. Then his eyes came back to Peyton- who wasn't there. He looked aorund the room and she wasn't there. He dropped the drawing back into the trash and tore out of her room and down the stairs. His foot stepped off the stairs as she opened the door. "Peyton!"

Peyton stopped in the doorway and turned slowly. He saw her eyes filled with tears. "Don't leave," he said quietly. "Just stop..tell me what's going on."

"I can't," she choked out as she shook her head. "I won't. Why can't you just let me go..?" she asked him. "Okay? Go find your girlfriend.." she told him roughly.

"I don't want to find her", he told her. "I want to make sure you're okay."

"I'm fine," she told him. "I'm always fine."

"You're rarely fine."

She looked startled at that statement. "And I know that because I know you, Peyton."

Peyton squeezed her eyes shut together. "Stop saying stuff like that."

"What's going on, Peyton? You and Brooke are arguing..you burned that drawing...".

"Nothing.." she said sternly. "It's nothing."

He referenced towards the bag in her hand with a movement of his arm. "It doesn't look like nothing if you're..what are you planning on doing?"

Peyton hesitated. "I was just...I don't know." She sighed. "Trying to get away from it all."

"Your problems with Brooke?"

Peyton bit her tongue. No you. I was trying to get away from you. "Yeah."

"Would someone just tell me what the two of you are arguing about?" he asked a bit desperately. "Wait...if it wasn't about..in the library, when we- well ya know-then what is it about? Brooke said that you told her some stuff about you and me..".

Peyton opened her mouth..but shut it again, speehless. Now what?