Morning came. Lucas was woken by his cell phone going off.

'Hey Keith.'

'And where are you?'

'Oh right, that. Yeah, um…I'm at Peyton's.'

'Luke.'

'I know Keith, I know. Peyton was really upset, so I was over here talking to her and before we knew it we lost track of time, so I just stayed.'

'Ok Luke, that better be why. Your mother wouldn't be happy if she knew this so lets keep it between us ok? Oh and this isn't going to happen again, I'm gonna check you're in your room when the door's closed from now on.'

'Ok Keith, I'll be home in 10.'

'Ok, seeya Luke.'

'Bye Keith.'

Peyton had been stirring whilst the conversation had been going on the phone. Lucas looked at her, he could watch her sleep all day. But not today, they had school to get to and a situation with Brooke to sort out.

'Peyton.' Peyton made a noise that represented her way of saying I don't wanna get up.

'Peyton come on, we've gotta get to school and we need to talk to Brooke. Peyton groaned.

'Ok ok.'

'I better get home, Keith sounded a bit pissed on the phone. I'll see ya at school.'

'Yeah, if Brooke doesn't kill one of us before the other gets there.' Lucas chuckled to himself at Peyton's anticipation of the worst.

'Yeah how are we gonna play it anyway?'

'I was thinking we stay friends for now Luke, I can't lose my best friend over this.' Lucas agreed with that statement.

Brooke wandered into school feeling pretty upset with the evening's events, she had started the evening with a boyfriend and a best friend, and had been hurt by both of them. Ending the evening with neither a best friend or a boyfriend in her opinion.

Peyton showed up at school at almost exactly the same time as Lucas. The pair of them met on the path, and as they did so both of them saw her. Brooke was with Bevin and a couple of the cheerleaders. Brooke hadn't spotted them, but Peyton saw no reason to avoid her, she hadn't done anything wrong.

'Hey'

'Oh hey former best friend.' Peyton opened her mouth but was shocked to hear Brooke say those particular words.

'Brooke, Peyton has done nothing wrong.'

'Oh, hey ex boyfriend. Standing up for your new girlfriend now? Huh?' Lucas opened his mouth but Peyton turned towards him and mouthed

'Let me handle it. It'll make it worse if you take a side in this. Trust me.' Lucas shrugged and left the area.

'Brooke can we talk about this, alone.'

'I'm fine with here P Sawyer. In fact I'm fine with not talking at all.'

'Ok Brooke. What do you think I have done wrong here?'

'Let me see, you tell my boyfriend that you have feelings for him and turn up to school with him looking suspiciously like you're together.'

'We did not turn up together and we are not together. I did not know he was your boyfriend either. But that doesn't matter Brooke, because he was fair game. You said so yourself, and yeah I got scared by what he said at Dan's but that didn't change how I felt. I came to my senses and realised that I needed him in my life, and I told him so. Had I known he was with you I wouldn't have said anything but I didn't know that and I did say something. You knew how he felt about me and how I felt about him, you're not naive enough to be unable to see it. Yet you still went after him, we both wanted him and like I've already said he was fair game. I'm sorry Brooke, but I don't see how this changes the fact were best friends. Neither of us did anything wrong, neither did he. So your still my best friend even if I'm not even a friend to you.' Peyton walked off, leaving Brooke speechless.

Lucas was sitting with Haley at lunch.

'So how're things with you and Brooke going? Haven't seen you with her today.'

'Well, were kinda not speaking.'

'How come?'

'Peyton came over last night and she kinda expressed how she felt about me.'

'Which is…?'

'Well I told you what I said to her at Dan's' Lucas paused as Haley nodded. 'She told me she wanted everything that I told her I wanted, and that she wanted it with me.'

'Ok, and what happened?'

'Well I kinda started dating Brooke yesterday and then kinda stopped dating her right after Peyton came over. I like Brooke, I really do. But she's not Peyton, and what Peyton said to me made me realize that.'

'So you're with Peyton now?'

'No, I mean she wanted to talk to Brooke and everything. But I overheard them this morning and they argued about it. I think Brooke realizes that it got complicated but neither of them did anything wrong. She's just too stubborn to admit it. I got caught in the middle and thought Peyton didn't wanna be with me but I guess I was wrong. I don't know what's gonna happen now.' Haley shrugged and put her hand on Lucas'.

'I'm sure you guys will work it out, in my opinion I don't think you and Brooke make sense as a couple, you and Peyton on the other hand…'

'Yeah yeah I get it Hales, you…'

'Peyton, 6 o clock, cya.' Haley winked at Lucas and ran off happily in the opposite direction. Lucas turned around and smiled. Peyton smiled weakly back before sitting opposite him.

'God I'm so pissed at her.'

'What'd she do now?' Lucas instantly knew who Peyton was talking about.

'Luke, she wont talk to me and she seems to think that I've done something wrong. She's making me so angry, it got so complicated, but I haven't done anything wrong. She knew that something happened between us at Dan's but she just couldn't leave it, and now it's MY fault.'

'Peyton calm down. She'll get over it, but you're right. You haven't done anything wrong, neither has she, and neither have I.' Peyton smiled weakly again.

'Luke I can't see what her problem is. She knew how I felt at Dan's, and still went after you.'

'I know Peyton, and I messed up by thinking that I could get over you with her. I complicated things needlessly but I still feel like I did at Dan's. You know that, and so do I. What is there stopping us?'

'Brooke.' With that Peyton got up and walked off.

'Peyton…Peyton.' It was no good. Brooke was still an obstacle in the way of their relationship.

'Haley?' Peyton called after her newfound friend.

'Hey Peyton.'

'Can I ask you for some advice?'

'Yeah sure, what's up?'

'Well, I've got this friend…'

'Right…'

'She really likes this guy, and he likes her but it's complicated.'

'Uh huh, Brooke right?'

'Lucas told you bout all of that?' Haley nodded.

'I got the privileged best friend card on that one. Anyway, you haven't done anything wrong, none of you have. It will hurt her but at the end of the day, anyone could see how you two felt about one another if they paid any attention, Brooke ignored that. As soon as she realizes that she is in the wrong by ignoring you then she'll get over her stubbornness and it'll be ok. So I say you should go for it if that's what you want. You and Brooke are best friends and you should be able to forgive each other anything, Lucas forgave me when Nathan and I got together, I know the two of them weren't dating…' Peyton interrupted with a laugh.

'You didn't know they were and besides if anybody is in the wrong its Brooke for not putting her best friend first when she knew how you felt. I know it probably doesn't seem like it, but it'll be ok.'

'Thanks Haley, I guess you're right. I'll see you later, I need to find Lucas, I kinda ran out on him earlier.'

'No worries, good luck with the whole Lucas, Brooke scenario.' Peyton smiled and turned to go and find Lucas.

Lucas was heading home from school when Peyton drove past and stopped a few metres up ahead.

'Hey, need a ride?' Lucas smiled and jumped into the car.

'So I've been thinking…' Peyton said as she put her foot down. 'To hell with Brooke, I know were best friends and all but she knew what she was doing going after you. She knew how I felt and still went after you, well she's the one in the wrong not either of us.'

'Right, ok then blondie. Would you care to have this conversation exclusively?'

'Hey, I was gonna ask that first.' Peyton frowned playfully and smacked him across the thigh before responding.

'Of course I would.' Lucas smiled at Peyton's answer. Lucas Scott and Peyton Sawyer pulled up outside Lucas' house and shared their first exclusive kiss.