Author's Notes: I wrote this for a challenge at OTH Fans, a Christmas LP fic. Turned out I really liked it, so I thought I'd post it here. I hope you guys like it! Please review. :) Happy Holidays!
Six Days
"It's coming on Christmas, they're cuttin' down trees …I wish I had a river so wide, I'd teach my feet to fly "River" – Sarah McLachlan
Puttin' up reindeer and singing songs of joy and peace
But I wish I had a river I could skate away on
Wish I had a river I could skate away on
'Cause I made my baby cry…"
Peyton had been wandering the streets for hours.
The setting sun felt unfittingly warm upon her back, and a gentle breeze was whispering through the trees. It went against every emotion tormenting her at that moment. It was the night before Christmas, and nothing felt like Christmas at all. She wanted a real December…the December she knew in Tree Hill. The December that brought grey clouds and thick, dank fog. That brought blankets of snow to the streets and yards, and invited snowball fights and mugs of hot chocolate. Where were the snowmen? The snow forts? The mittens and jackets? December in California didn't suit her nearly as well as it did in Tree Hill. Especially not now.
It felt like it had been months since everything Peyton knew and loved had fallen apart. In the two years that she'd lived here, she'd never felt so alone. There was no one to go home to, and she could think of nothing she wanted to do that didn't remind her of everything she currently wanted to forget. She'd taken to the streets; her last attempt to clear her head. But the painful memories continued to haunt her, winding around the curbs and through the neighborhoods. And the worst part of it was that she'd brought the feelings of loneliness and regret on herself.
Ten days earlier
"So when's your last final?" Lucas asked, lifting a slice of pizza onto a paper plate and handing it to Peyton. They moved to the sofa and sat down next to each other, right in front of the TV, which wasn't turned on.
She took the plate from him gratefully, catching a blissful whiff of greasy cheese and pepperoni. "Thursday, in Graphic Art," she replied, taking a bite. With a full mouth, she added, "You?"
Lucas smiled, shaking his head at her etiquette, or lack thereof. "Friday," he responded. He cracked open a soda. "Gender Roles in Literature. I've been studying two weeks straight for that final, remember?"
"Oh right, that boring class," Peyton mocked with a smirk. He gave her a look, and she corrected, "I mean, that really interesting class you've told me all about. Right."
"My point was," Lucas continued slowly, "since both of our finals end before the weekend, I thought we'd celebrate and go out to dinner Friday night. What do you say?"
"I say hell yes, as long as you're buying."
He rolled his eyes, but his grin never faded. "Yeah, yeah, of course."
Giggling a little and continuing to chew on her slice of pizza, Peyton watched her "boyfriend" from the corner of her eye. It still felt strange to call him that. Even after two years, she'd never gotten used to the title, and hardly ever used it. He was just Lucas…the boy she loved. And her best friend. Calling him her boyfriend seemed so possessive. She'd never been fond of it. In the same way, Lucas hardly ever called her his girlfriend. Usually he called her Sawyer, or some other pet name, and she was just fine with that. She felt it was more personal and romantic that way anyway.
Lucas had followed Peyton to California several months after they'd graduated. He had originally been obstinate about staying in Tree Hill to help his mom and new baby sister, and it had caused a major quarrel between the two of them. Lucas wasn't sure he wanted to try a long-distance relationship, especially considering everything they'd gone through to be together, and Peyton was unwilling to go anywhere but California. They broke up that summer, and Peyton left in July. Not before visiting Lucas and telling him she loved him, however, and that if he should change his mind, she would wait for him. She gave him her new address and phone number, but warned him that she'd only wait until term started, and if he didn't come, she would understand, but that she couldn't wait any longer than that. She just wanted him to be happy.
Understandably torn, Lucas had fought with himself for weeks over what he should do. Though he loved Peyton more than life itself, he felt a strong sense of duty and responsibility to his mom, and didn't want to leave her and his new sister alone. It took a large amount of encouragement and lecture from Karen, but she eventually convinced him to go. Two days before term started, he showed up at Peyton's door with all of his belongings and a sheepish smile. She couldn't ever remember being so happy than she was in that single moment when she opened the door and saw him standing there. She'd thrown her arms around his neck the second she saw him, and she never forgot the sacrifice he made for them.
"What?" Lucas said, lifting the pizza slice to his mouth.
Peyton shook her head, clearing the distant memories from her mind. "Nothing," she answered. "Just thinking."
"Oh? What were you thinking about?"
"You," she told him in a playful tone.
"Me?" he repeated, pretending to be shocked. "Good thoughts, I'm sure?"
She ran her finger underneath his chin, which she knew drove him crazy, and felt an immediate shudder from him. "Well," she said lowly, "I was wondering what you might want for Christmas."
He lifted his brows in genuine surprise. "Oh really?"
"Really."
"This from the girl who says I'm so easy to shop for?"
She laughed quietly, mostly because she knew it was true. He seemed to have a little more trouble with every passing year picking out a gift for Peyton, though she wasn't sure why. She figured he fell into the trap of over thinking the gift, and as their relationship continued to grow, it got more difficult for Lucas to think of special gifts he could buy on his limited budget. Peyton simply went for the things she knew he would like, but made sure it was personal enough and unique enough to be special. He knew she did, of course, because she liked to brag about it year after year when he would voice his troubles.
"I'm not saying I don't have ideas," she quipped defensively, "but it'd be nice to have some guidance." She put the paper plate on the coffee table and nestled herself underneath his arm and rested her head on his chest while he continued to eat.
Lucas shrugged. "I don't really need anything," he told her truthfully, taking a swig of Coke. "I'll be happy with dinner and classic Christmas movies on TV."
"Aw come on," Peyton whined, looking up at him pleadingly. "You have to tell me, or I won't tell you what I want."
"That's fine, I already got yours."
She shot up, nearly knocking Lucas's can of soda out of his hand. Her eyes were wide when she looked at him. "You did not," she said, completely taken aback.
He laughed at her incredulity, setting the can of soda on the table for his own safety. "I did," he replied coolly. "I got it a few weeks ago, actually. You're behind."
She was completely floored, and Lucas loved it. It was a nice change to see her squirm, he decided. It was her turn. "What is it?" she asked fervently, resting her weight on her knees now, facing him. "Tell me!"
"Oh, right," he answered caustically. "Like that's going to happen."
She pouted her lips his way, and he shook his head. "Not going to work," he warned. "You're wasting your time."
Peyton heaved a frustrated sigh. "Is it good?" she tried again.
He looked at her in offense. "Of course it's good!"
She crossed her arms and looked away, her curiosity piqued now. "This isn't fair," she commented immaturely. "You're not supposed to be able to tease me before Christmas."
Lucas made a noise of disapproval and shook his head. "Typical Sawyer. You can dish it, but you just can't take it."
She hit him with a nearby pillow, smirking when he cried out. "When will I get it?" Peyton inquired as her last question.
"Soon enough, Peyt," Lucas responded, planting a kiss on her pouting lips. "Soon enough."
"Lucas, this place is really nice," Peyton said in a hushed voice, looking around at the restaurant. Formally dressed waiters were pouring wine and serving food, and fancy-looking men and women were talking quietly amongst themselves. The food, she noted, looked delicious. And expensive.
"That's why I told you to wear a dress," he replied with a knowing smile.
"I thought you were just being a guy," she commented. He gave her a look, and she added, "Joke. Are you sure you can afford this?"
"Don't worry about it," he whispered to her, squeezing her hand. "It's a special occasion." They walked up to the host, and Lucas said to him, "Scott, for two."
"Yes, sir. Right this way, please."
They were seated, and Peyton picked up the menu. As she scanned it, Lucas said, "Have I told you yet how amazing you look in that dress?"
Peyton blushed, letting a smile creep onto her features. "Thanks," she replied softly. "You know which one it is, right?" Looking down at it, she let nostalgic memories float into her mind. Its deep black color hadn't faded by much in the four years she'd had it, she thought. Impressive.
"Of course I do," Lucas nodded. "You wore that to the basketball party at Dan's house, junior year. I'd never forget that dress. I think it looks even better on you now than it did that night."
Her cheeks were burning, and she looked away. "Lucas, stop…"
"I'm serious," he said. Her eyes met his again. "You are so beautiful, Peyton. I am so lucky to have you."
"And the Boyfriend of the Year Award goes to…" she said with a small laugh.
He sat up straighter. "What I'm trying to say is--"
"Are we ready to order here?"
Peyton almost didn't hear the waiter. Lucas was up to something, and she cursed the waiter for interrupting whatever it was. He asked her if she wanted anything to drink, and she shook her head. Lucas told the man they needed a few minutes to look at the menu, and his intense gaze went back to Peyton. Her heart instinctively started to pound.
"What I'm trying to say is…you're my best friend, Peyton. You know that, don't you?"
"Yeah," she answered. "I've always known that. You're my best friend, too."
"Good," he smiled. He was starting to look nervous, which caused Peyton to feel more anxious. What was this about? "And I want to stay that way," Lucas finished.
Peyton was finding it hard to catch her breath. "We will," she assured him, hoping she was misunderstanding this.
"No, I mean…" His hands were searching for something in his pockets as he talked, though his eyes were locked on her, and his own anxiousness was growing by the second. " I mean…I love you, Peyton. I love you more than anything or anyone else. This is it for me. You're all I want, for the rest of my life." He stood briefly with something in his hand, and kneeled in front of her chair. He opened a velvet box with a Christmas bow on top of it, revealing a beautiful white gold diamond ring.
Peyton gasped, and swallowed hard. The room suddenly got a few thousand degrees warmer, and her pulse was racing. This was unbelievable. It couldn't be happening. They'd just gone out to dinner to celebrate the end of finals. It wasn't supposed to be this. This wasn't supposed to happen. She wanted to keep the words from leaving his mouth, but they came anyway.
"Peyton Elizabeth Sawyer, will you marry me?"
She was frozen. She couldn't breathe, couldn't think, and couldn't focus on anything besides that ring staring her straight in the face. Taunting her, mocking her, pointing out Lucas's hopeful, promising expression. Marry him. He wanted her to marry him. To be with him for the rest of her life was what she wanted, but to marry him? It seemed so…final. So permanent. After all their troubles in the past, what if they got married and it fell apart? Marriage came with all sorts of responsibilities she didn't feel she was ready for. She wasn't that same girl who'd stood in front of Jake Jagielski and asked him to marry her. She knew the realities of life, and the struggles of married couples. Nathan and Haley had sufficiently taught her that marriage wasn't all about the happy, mushy stuff. She didn't know if she could deal with losing Lucas in divorce, if it ever came to that. After all she'd lost in her life, it seemed like that would be one of the worst ways to lose a loved one.
Especially when that loved one was Lucas.
Tears were glistening in her eyes. He was hanging by the moment, waiting for her to make him the happiest man in the world. It made her heart physically ache to do this to him. To avoid seeing the hurt in his face, she ran from the restaurant after she whispered, "I'm sorry, Lucas. I…I can't."
The door slammed as Lucas walked in after Peyton. She grimaced, heading for their room immediately. The car ride back home had been extremely uncomfortable, and she was grateful just to be out of that deafeningly silent, enclosed space. She unzipped her dress and stepped out of it, opting for sweatpants and a baggy t-shirt. Lucas took his time reaching the doorway, and leaned heavily against the frame when he got there.
She pulled the shirt on quickly, but stopped when she saw him and the look on his face. It was a frightening combination of anger, betrayal and confusion, as he tried to make sense of what had just happened. He'd been so sure about how it would happen. He'd been so sure she would say yes. He hadn't even considered what he would do or how he would react if she said no. Logically, it just didn't make sense for her to say no. Where had he gone wrong? Where had they gone wrong? What reason could she have to not want to get married? Just when he thought he understood Peyton Sawyer, she would throw a curveball clear out of left field that always seemed to hit him right in the head.
He swallowed and took a deep breath, mustering up the courage to ask the difficult questions he knew he had to ask now. The questions he wasn't sure he wanted to hear the answers to.
"What are we doing, Peyton?" he asked quietly.
She waited for more. When it didn't come, she prompted, "What do you mean?"
He walked further into the room, his hands in his pockets and his expression somber. "I mean, what are we doing? Where is this going? If it's not headed for anything further than us living together and having sex, why didn't you just tell me that before I moved three thousand miles away from home to be with you?"
Her jaw dropped slightly at the harsh words. "Okay, first of all, if we're going to talk about this, put the claws away. I thought our relationship meant more to you than just living together and having sex, anyway."
"Well, we wouldn't be having this conversation if it didn't, would we? It seems to me you're the one who doesn't want us going any further than this."
"What's wrong with what we have now?"
"Nothing, unless this is all we're headed for." He was trying to stay level-headed for the time being. It would be more beneficial to talk about it civilly, instead of arguing about it right away. "Is it just that you don't want to get married right now?" he inquired. "Because we don't have to do it soon. We could just get engaged. What if we just got engaged for a couple years, and felt it out?"
Peyton's eyes turned downward, and she remained quiet. The fact of the matter was that she wasn't sure she wanted to ever get married. As much as she loved Lucas, she hadn't even considered getting married, really. She was so happy with the way they were, and she couldn't bear the thought of anything like divorce separating them. Or death, as it had been in her adoptive father's case. She didn't mind the idea of sharing her life with Lucas. She was doing that already. But marriage implied all sorts of things she didn't want complicating their relationship. Although it seemed it already had.
Her silence gave Lucas his answer. He scoffed in disbelief. "So you don't want to get married. Period. Ever. You want all the benefits of a relationship without actual commitment." He laughed hollowly. "Why didn't I see this coming?"
Peyton's expression twisted. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"The Noncommittal Queen strikes again. I thought when it came to us, things were different, but I guess I was wrong. You're still you. I should've expected that you wouldn't want to commit to us. You've always been trying to find ways to get away from me."
"What?" she said, visibly hurt. Those words cut her deep. "When have I ever--"
"Let's see, at the basketball party when you just wanted me for sex," he started to list on his fingers, "toward the end of junior year when you stopped talking to me, through part of senior year… Oh yeah, and then there was that part where you refused to stay in Tree Hill with me."
Peyton put a hand up, walking around to the other side of the bed. "I can't listen to this anymore. None of that is true, and you know it. Half of that was because of Brooke. Remember her? The girl you told me over and over again you were so in love with?"
"Don't bring Brooke into this. She brought up my past with you every time we had a fight, too."
Peyton got up from the bed, fuming now. She breezed past him, out of the room while she said in a growl, "You did not just compare me to Brooke Davis."
He rolled his eyes and followed her into the living room. "I'm sorry," he apologized, rather insincerely. "I'm just searching for some answers here, and you're not giving me any."
"Well, acting like an ass and attacking me isn't the way to get them!"
"Oh, okay. I propose to you, you say, 'I can't,' and I'm the ass."
"It's the truth!" she exclaimed.
"Why 'can't' you?"
"Because I love you!" she burst, growing quiet after she shouted it. She realized it sounded crazy, but it was the truth.
"Well, if that's the case, I understand completely. Why didn't you just say that before?"
"Screw you," Peyton spat. She started back toward the bedroom, but he stopped her. "Let go of me," she hissed, but his grip remained on her shoulders.
He closed his eyes, seeming to mentally reaffirm his rational thoughts and feelings. "Fine, let's just go to bed then. It's late, we're both emotional, and this isn't going anywhere. I'll take the couch, and we'll talk in the morning."
She didn't look up at him when she grumbled, "Fine."
He released her, and she shrugged him away, walking toward the bedroom without looking back. His hurtful words were still ringing in her head. She was halfway there when she heard him say, "Peyton," and she turned around reluctantly.
"I love you too," he told her more gently. "This would be a lot easier if I didn't, but…I do."
She was quiet before nodding once. "I know," she answered, and walked the rest of the way to the bedroom, closing the door behind her.
Peyton's eyes were heavy when she opened them that morning. She felt like someone was watching her, and when she looked around, she found Lucas sitting at the foot of the bed. He looked deep in thought, but it didn't look like they were good thoughts.
"Hey," she croaked. "You sleep okay?"
He shook his head absently. "Not really."
She nodded. "Me neither." She'd spent the majority of the night lying awake, staring at the ceiling and going over and over every word Lucas had said. Initially, their fight had brought her to tears after she closed the door, and the rest of the night had been excruciatingly long. She wanted so badly to go back to the morning before, when they'd been talking and laughing over breakfast. She wanted all of it back.
Lucas wasn't saying anything, and Peyton started to feel worried. "So…where's your head at this morning?" she prompted, reluctant to hear the answer.
He took a moment to reply, with his gaze still glued to the floor. "I said some awful things last night," he began. His voice was sad; deflated, almost. He turned his head to look at her. "I hope you don't think I meant them."
She smiled a little. "I said things I didn't—"
"No," he cut her off firmly, "I need you to know I didn't mean them. I was upset and hurt, but I shouldn't have said those things."
Peyton's brow furrowed at his stern tone. She'd never heard him talk this way before. "I know, Luke," she affirmed somewhat cautiously. "I know."
She caught a glimpse of something near the bed out of the corner of her eye, and leaned over to get a better view. When she saw it fully, she shot up from the pillow. It couldn't be. "Luke," her voice shook, "why is there a suitcase next to the bed?"
His gaze was averted when he answered, "I sat awake all night thinking about this."
Fresh tears instantly brimmed in her eyes. "Lucas, no…"
"I can't be in this kind of relationship, Peyton. I can't be half in. It doesn't work that way for me. I need to know we're in this for the long haul, not just for the fun. I need you with me, but it has to be all the way. It's too hard otherwise." He was very serious, and his voice had gone low and almost monotone. "I need to see a destination for us. And if you don't see one…we can't stay together."
Everything was coming undone. It was all unraveling in front of her eyes; everything she'd spent the last three years building and counting on. The one thing that made sense to her, the one person she relied upon and cherished the most, was leaving her.
Peyton reached for his hand, but he slid it away and stood up. "So you're just gonna go?" she nearly demanded, her voice cracking. "Just like that, you're giving me an ultimatum and leaving?"
He started to walk away, and stopped before he reached the doorway. "I'm going to a hotel," he told her. "I left the name and room number in the kitchen. If you change your mind…I'll be waiting. I'll be there for a week. If you don't show, I'll go back to Tree Hill and we can move on with our lives once and for all. I'll…" He struggled with the last part. "I'll understand. I want you to do what's going to make you happy." He turned to look at her. "But I chose you, Peyton," he told her, more emotion entering his voice. "When you asked me to, I followed you to California so we could be together. I left my home, my mom, and everything I knew so I could be with you. And if you still can't commit to me when I want you to choose me... It's not fair, Peyton. It's not fair to me or us."
Lucas turned to grab his suitcase, and Peyton was certain she saw a tear rolling down his cheek that he quickly wiped away before he walked out.
She'd heard a speech like that before, from her own mouth. It should've touched her, but instead, it just made her feel worse. What hurt the most, however, was knowing that she'd reduced him to such a low point. She'd never seen him cry before. He was heartbroken because of her selfishness.
Pulling her knees up to her chest, Peyton buried her face in the covers and wished then more than ever that she could turn back time.
Since she last checked, that morning had been six days, nine hours and twenty-three minutes ago. Six days without Lucas greeting her in the morning with a kiss. Six days without a kiss goodnight. Six days without his warm, comforting embrace, his light laughter, or his boyish smile. She missed the way his hair smelled after a shower. She missed the way he would pout when she'd tease him, and the way he tucked stray curls behind her ear when he was close to her.
It had been six cold, lonely, empty days without Lucas by her side. Six days too long.
She pulled out her wallet, pulling a crumpled piece of paper out of the side. It was torn and worn in several places, and was blemished with an ink stain in the corner. She'd looked at it so many times, picked up the phone on countless occasions, but always put it away or put the phone down. She always let her fear win.
Peyton felt a sudden, overwhelming urge to see him. She found that she didn't want to spend another night alone in that huge bed. She didn't want to see another sunrise without him. She couldn't take the empty ache in her heart any longer. Her feet started to carry her in the direction of the hotel, faster and faster until she was sprinting down the sidewalks, across the streets and around everyone in her way. She didn't stop for more than a few minutes, and by the time she got there, she was exhausted. The adrenaline rush kept her moving, however, and she jogged up the stairs to his room.
223…223…223…where are you? she thought as she scurried around the second floor of the building in desperation. Then she spotted it on the corner, and the all-too-familiar pounding of her heart returned. It had been six days out of the seven he'd given her to change her mind. What if he gave up on day four and went home? What if she'd lost her chance forever? She couldn't bear the thought of this being irreversible. She could change it. She was going to change it. He was still within arm's reach, and there was no way she was letting him slip away now.
Darkness had long since set on the city, and Peyton's knees were nearly giving way beneath her by the time she knocked on room 223. A few moments passed and nothing happened, causing her heart to leap to her throat. I'm not too late, she repeated in her head. It isn't too late, it can't be too late…
She stood there for what felt like an eternity, waiting for the door to open. But nothing in the room stirred, and the door remained closed. Peyton closed her eyes against the truth. Perhaps he did give up on her. She'd taken too long to see the truth, and he was already on his way back to Tree Hill, or maybe he was there now. Either way, he'd left her behind, and closed the door on them forever.
Struggling to keep herself on her feet, Peyton turned slowly away from the door. She said a silent, sad goodbye to him in her mind, and prepared herself for a long, slow walk home in the dark. If she even decided to go home.
"…Peyton?"
Everything inside of her froze at the sound of his voice. The way he said it was innocent and full of hope; it sounded almost childlike. She took a moment just to soak in the way his voice made her feel. Especially at that moment, when she was certain she would never get to feel that way again. He'd stayed… Oh God, she'd never known such relief. It was like oxygen was flowing back into her lungs, and newfound energy was coursing through every part of her body. She turned around again, laying her eyes on the only person she'd wanted to see for the last hundred and forty-eight hours. She approached him, trying to keep her expression neutral before she explained herself. When she came within a few feet of him, she stopped.
Taking a deep breath, she started the speech she'd prepared in her head. "I ran all the way here," she told him with a short laugh. "You wouldn't believe how many cars I dodged."
He didn't say anything, continuing to stare at her in the same way she was staring at him. Like she was the only one that could possibly bring him any happiness, but she was also the one who'd brought him so much pain. She cleared her throat, continuing on. "Do you…do you think I could come in?"
He contemplated that for a moment before stepping aside. When he closed the door behind her, she immediately launched into what was on her mind. "I didn't just run all the way here," she told him, pacing the room. "I've been running for a long time. Pretty much since junior high. I spent a long time running away from people, from responsibility, and from almost every emotion that wasn't anger or bitterness. I spent a long time running away from us, Lucas. Maybe part of me was running away when I moved out here, but you followed me. You always followed me, no matter how hard I tried to push us away. And now…now I feel like I finally beat you, you know? Like you spent so much time chasing after me, and you got so tired you just gave up. And I can't say I blame you."
He listened intently, focusing on her and taking in her every word. She'd stopped pacing, and she was staring into his eyes now. "I don't want to run anymore, Lucas," she went on. "These past six days have been horrible. Nothing I have seems as good if you're not there to share it with me. I was afraid of getting engaged, or married, or whatever, because I didn't want what we have together to fall apart. But…it's not about that, really. Marriage should just be about sharing your life with another person, and loving that person, not about whether you stay married or get divorced, right? I mean, I've been sharing my life with you for almost four years, and we've gotten through so much worse than anything marriage could possibly deal us. At least, I hope. But it's obvious to me we're strong enough to last, and I…I don't want to share my life with anyone else but you."
He couldn't help the smile that was tugging at the corners of his mouth. These were the words he'd longed to hear for so long, it almost seemed too good to be true. He had to be sure. "So…what are you saying?"
"I'm saying yes," she said confidently, feeling free to say anything now. "I want to get married, Lucas. Whether it's tomorrow or two years from now, it doesn't matter. As long as we're together, I'll go anywhere and do anything."
He was silent for a long time, and Peyton's confidence started to wane. She couldn't really read his expression, but he soon appeared faintly amused. That thoroughly confused her, but she automatically smiled too, figuring she hadn't been clued in on the joke yet. "What?" she said.
His smile turned to a grin, and he started to chuckle. Her jaw nearly dropped to the floor. "What is wrong with you? I spill my guts to you and all you can do is laugh?" She hit him on the side of his arm, hard.
He didn't react, but instead laughed more. "What is so funny?" she demanded.
Lucas's laughter subsided, and he leaned down closer to her face. "You could've just said yes, you know," he told her playfully. "That would've worked just as well."
She still looked dumbfounded for a moment, before finally breaking. She gave him a deathly glare, but a smile was attached. "You suck, you know that?"
He nodded. "But you love me."
Making a noise of acknowledgement, she said, "Yeah, remind me why again?"
His lips met hers in a soft, sensual kiss that was far overdue. It sent a familiar thrill up her spine, and caused her knees to go weak all over again. When he pulled away, she said, "Oh yeah. That."
He laughed and pulled her close, wrapping her in a loving embrace. She nestled her cheek against his shoulder, and breathed a sigh into his shirt. "Seriously though," he told her quietly, "I understand what you're saying. I'm so glad you chose this, Peyton. So glad. Even if it took you six out of the seven days to decide."
"I was afraid you left," she murmured, closing her eyes and breathing in his sweet scent. "I was afraid I lost you forever."
He placed a hand at the back of her head and kissed her forehead. "Never," he promised her. "No matter what, you always have me."
She pulled back and kissed him soundly again, happiness consuming her. Her eyes moved to the right, and she caught a glimpse of the clock. It was 12:04. "Oh, I completely forgot!" she exclaimed. "Merry Christmas!"
He looked back at the clock as well, seeming to have forgotten himself. "What do you know?" He quirked an eyebrow slyly as he said, "How about we celebrate early?"
She looked back at the hotel bed, then to Lucas. A guilty smile crossed her features. "I guess since you have the room until tomorrow…" She kissed him and placed her hands on his chest, moving closer to the bed. As they started to touch, she said, "We have to leave early, though. I want to give you your present. You're going to love it."
Lucas cupped the side of her face with his palm, looking down at her in quiet wonder. In a hushed voice he told her, "It doesn't matter. I already got it."