Chapter 1

The light of the new day was slowly beginning to flicker through the partly open blue plaid curtains casting life into the previous desperately dark and dank room.

As the rays reached further into the room, they landed onto the shape of a man sprawled out on the large double bed in the middle of the room.

Lucas lay spread out on his bed, one hand thrown behind his head which was resting against the headboard, legs stretched the length of the furniture not having moved for the past 3 hours or so since he had first woken not having been able to sleep, except to reach for the object he kept safely hidden in his wallet away from the prying and questioning eyes of his family and friends.

His azure eyes caressed the slightly yellowed, somewhat rumple piece of paper lovingly while his thumb traced the outline of the girl in the picture, the girl he loved. If his house was on fire, and he were told that he was only allowed to rescue one object it would be this beloved photo he would save.

He smiled slightly has he thought back to the day the photo was taken. It was the night of the graduation party at Rachel's house. The whole gang was there, Hayley, Nathan, Mouth, Skills, Brooke and of course the girl of his dreams, Peyton.

Her mass of golden girls cascaded loosely around her delicate face, her green eyes twinkled with the joy of graduation and the hope for the future a beautiful if playful smile graced her lips.

That night had been so special what with the celebration of Jamie's birth, the renditions of the Spice Girls and all the drink any self respecting teen could manage. The laughter and easiness of being young made the atmosphere light, oh if they only knew what the future would bring...

But that lightness that was so abundant in this heart that far gone evening was now merely a distant memory. The feeling as distant to him as that night was. That night truly was the end of an era, the last time they would all be truly happy together, the last night together before a part of Lucas died.

Lucas was pulled from his silent reverie by a gentle knock to his door, the door slowly opening to reveal the soft chocolate eyes and hair of his little sister Lilly.

Lucas swung his feet onto the ground quickly slipping the photo he held in his hand under his pillow so for it not to be noticed before turning his attention to the little cherub before him.

"Good morning Lilly bear" he said embracing the little girl who had flung herself into her big brother's safe arms.

He lifted her onto his lap when a confused look came across Lucas' face. "You know what Lils? I think that you're getting too big, I won't be able to pick you up soon."

The little girl was appalled, "No!" she said looking panicked and shaking her pigtails. Before her shock could develope into tears Lucas threw her onto the bed and started tickeling her much to her delight.

Coming to the partly open door of her son's room Karen was met by the delighted shrieks of her litter girl and laughter of her not so little boy. The sight that met her made her heart swell, all a mother could really wish for her children was that they be truly happy and Lucas was rarely as happy as he was when playing with his little sister.

As best as he tried to hide it from his mother and his friends and over the years Lucas had gotten very good at masking his true emotions, Karen could see that her son's eyes no longer sparkled the way they used to, that a part of him was maybe forever, she hated to admit missing. The closest Lucas ever came to truly being his old self was when he was with Lilly and Karen relished those rare moments.

"Come on you two monsters, breakfast is ready; we have a busy day let's get moving." Lilly sprang to her feet and scuttled off the bed running to her mother taking her by the hand and leading her to the kitchen. Karen turned round to see her son rise to his feet sending him a gentle smile before following her daughter.

Some 30 minutes later the Scott-Rowe family were sat around the table enjoying their blueberry pancakes and mindless chatter when the kitchen door suddenly flew open.

"Sup dawgs." Entering the house a suit carrier slung over his shoulder his ever present swagger very much evident Skills bumped fists with Lucas "Luke my man" bending down he repeated the motion with Lilly "My main girl Lilly in da house" causing giggles to erupt from the little girls. He then leaned down throwing is free arm around Karen "Ms R looking mighty fine as always!"

"Ever the charmer Skills" Karen smiled as she stood up to begin clearing the table. Grinning he sat down directly opposite Lucas having hooked his suit onto the door frame.

"So how you feeling bro?"

Lucas gave him a small smile which Skills noticed didn't quite reach his eyes and a shrug of his shoulders. "I guess I'm as ready as I'll ever be." He quietly started swirling the steaming black coffee in his cup staring into it as though it held the secrets of life within it's green ceramic walls.

"For the record bro, I think you're doing the right thing, she'd want you to be happy man and..." Skills broke off not wanting to carry on. "But if you getting cold feet I could always take her off your hands bro."

Lucas chuckled in response shaking his head.

"All right then man... let's go get you married."