A/N: Okay, so the response from you guys was amazing. It totally blew me away, thank you all so much. Here's the second chapter - under serious pressure now to impress, lol.
Peyton reached out to touch Lucas' arm and was hurt when he pulled away from her immediately. She brushed it off.
"Look, I know you're angry-"
"Angry?" Lucas snapped, interrupting her. He laughed bitterly. "Angry doesn't even scratch the surface, Peyton. I'm feeling things right now that I didn't know it was possible to feel, with an intensity I didn't know I could reach."
Lucas softened. Peyton could see his body relaxing once he'd vented. He turned to look at her and she looked away.
"Don't do that," he said. Despite feeling better for verbalising his feelings he was still short with her.
"Do what?" she replied, barely speaking above a whisper.
"Look away like that. Like you've got something to be ashamed of or like I wouldn't want to look at you."
"Well, why would you? I look like disgusting Lucas. I can barely look at myself," she snapped.
Lucas winced. He knew that her speech about not pitying her and that she would get over it was just Peyton's way of lying to herself. He looked over at her and his finger rested on the far side of her face. He pulled her round to look at him and eventually she submitted.
"You do not look disgusting. You could never look disgusting," he said softly. She smiled slightly.
His eyes dropped to her thighs again and he reached to touch them, but she moved her leg away.
"Did he?" Lucas choked out. He couldn't finish the sentence but he knew Peyton would understand.
"No," she replied firmly.
Lucas nodded knowing that she wasn't ready to go into any further detail.
They sat in silence for a few minutes both contemplating their next words. Lucas spoke first.
"Why didn't you call me?" He was back to being bitter.
Peyton sat in silence not knowing how to respond.
"Answer me."
"Because….because you have a life now that I didn't want to disrupt. You didn't need to know, it would have complicated things."
"So, after all these years, I'm nothing but a complication?"
"Don't take that tone with me, Lucas," she snapped. "I called Nathan because he could be there for me."
Lucas reared back. "And I wouldn't have been?"
"Of course, you would have Lucas. And that's why I didn't call. It would have been too hard. I have to learn to live in a world where you don't rescue me any more. I'm not yours to rescue and you're not mine to need."
"We're still friends, Peyton!" he shouted.
It was Peyton's turn to laugh in bitterness. "Of course we are, Luke. Such good friends that I haven't spoken to you in like two years? So friendly with each other that I have to hear through Nathan and Haley about your new perfect life? Look, you know what?" she said standing and opening the front door. "We're not talking about this any more. I'm sorry I didn't call you. I'm sorry that I bruised your ego. But the day you left me in a hotel room without talking to me about what happened, or even saying goodbye, is the day you lost any right to be a part of my life," she shouted at him, taking Lucas completely aback.
She stormed back through the front door. She took a deep breath and composed herself before making her way back to the living room. Lucas got to his feet and went after her.
"Peyton!" he shouted. She stopped but didn't turn around. He walked to her and turned her round to face him. "It works both ways, Peyton. All you had to do was call."
She whipped away from him and continued walking. She was in the doorway, both of them forgetting that their friends were there.
"Don't run away from me, Peyton. I know it's your default reaction but I don't deserve it!"
"You don't deserve it? I'm good at running away? That's rich, Lucas. You ran away from me when all I asked you to do was wait for me for one year!"
"And what? You decide to punish me for that by not telling me that your psycho stalker that nearly ruined both our lives came back for you again?" he yelled.
Peyton recoiled and stared at him. "When you decide to stop being an ass, then you come talk to me. But for now, we're done!"
She turned back to the room and froze when she saw everyone looking at them.
"So, Nate. How's that food coming?" she said to distract from what had just transpired.
"Uh, it's nearly ready actually. We were just heading outside."
"Great," she replied, walking over to Brooke. "Let's go eat."
"Peyton, what just happened?" Brooke asked her quietly.
"Later," Peyton replied, sharply. Brooke nodded and walked outside.
"Lindsey, let's go," Lucas said.
"Um, sure," she said, grabbing her bag.
"Lucas, don't do this," Haley begged.
"I'm sorry, Hales. But I have to. I can't be around her right now."
"Fine," Haley snapped, angrily. "But we're having a talk tomorrow, because I get the impression that you haven't been entirely honest with me."
Lucas rolled his eyes at her and turned on his heel and left with Lindsey following shortly behind.
Lucas and Lindsey didn't speak a word on the way home. Lucas fuelled his anger into his driving and Lindsey was scared. She had never known Lucas to be an angry man and that was something that concerned her most about Peyton coming home.
Lucas walked through the front door and threw his keys on the table. He went straight into his bedroom and grabbed his basketball. Lindsey followed him and she was standing by the door when he turned round.
"What the hell was that, Luke?" she asked.
"Sorry," he mumbled.
"Don't just apologise to me, Lucas. What happened?"
"She should have called me, that's all," he replied, trying to be calm and act as if was nothing.
"But that's not all is it, Luke? There is something between you and Peyton that runs much deeper than that." Lindsey was battling tears.
"Linds, I was just shocked and angry at seeing her that way. So we said things we didn't mean and that didn't need to be said," he said, walking over to her.
"The thing is Lucas, I think there is an awful lot more things between you two, that need to be said," she replied, upset and angry.
"There's not. I'll go talk to her tomorrow. But for now, I just want to go and play some ball. There's nothing to worry about," he said, kissing her head before taking off quickly.
"No," she replied firmly and he turned back to her.
"No what?"
"You don't go and talk to her."
"Excuse me?" he said in utter disbelief.
"The second I saw her, I could feel our life changing, Lucas. But it doesn't have to. You heard her, she's fine. She'll deal with it. She didn't call you because she doesn't need you. She made that perfectly clear to you two years ago."
Lucas swivelled his basketball to his hip.
"You don't know anything about Peyton Sawyer. You may have read that book more times than you could care to count but you don't know her." He wasn't shouting but he was firm and angry. "I told her a few years ago that I would never cut her out of my life. I love you, Lindsey but there is no one in the world that I would lose Peyton for. I know what she needs and whether you like it or not, I am going to be there for her. And now, maybe we have something to worry about," he finished before walking out on her.
Brooke drove through town with mixed feelings about the days events and Peyton in general. She needed an excuse to think on her own and so leaving Peyton with Nathan and Haley she made an excuse about having to call the office. There were things that she was concerned about that she knew she couldn't approach Peyton with herself. And she was angry at the furore that had erupted between Lucas and Peyton. She could understand how Lucas felt but she wasn't happy about what happened. She glanced over at the River Court, as if on cue, and saw him there. She cursed to herself as she turned in. She turned the engine off and got out of the car and walked towards him slowly. She watched as he made a few shots, missing most of them.
"Lucas Scott, you are such an idiot!" he shouted into the sky.
"No arguments from me, Broody," she said smiling at him as he turned round.
"Hey, Brooke. Look before you start kicking my ass, I'm sorry for what happened today."
"I wasn't going to kick your ass, Luke," she chuckled as she sat down on the bench. He picked his ball up and sat down next to her.
He sat quietly for a moment and Brooke smirked at him.
"Go on, I know you're dying to ask."
"How is she? Really?"
"Truth be told, I don't know," Brooke sighed. "She hasn't cried, do you know that? Not once. God knows, I have. I have shed more than enough tears for the both of us but she hasn't broken down. And I know that sounds awful, like I want her too, but she's not-"
"The same Peyton?" Lucas finished for her and she nodded.
"She's been so jaded since it happened, Luke. She barely shows any emotion. Her shouting at you is the most emotion that girl has shown since it happened. Except at night," Brooke finished, whispering the last few words.
Lucas dropped his head.
"She barely sleeps. But when she does, she cries and she wakes up screaming. The first few times I tried to go in and comfort her but she just shuts me out. She pretends like nothing happened."
"She told me that she can barely look at herself," Lucas choked out.
"Least she told you something," Brooke scoffed. "She calls for you some nights. In her sleep," Brooke admitted.
Lucas closed his eyes. He hated the fact he wasn't there for her and that she felt like he couldn't be now. He felt guilty for the way he spoke to her earlier that day.
"Don't be mad at her for not calling you. God knows she wanted to Lucas. But she wouldn't let herself. For some reason she's punishing herself, not you. She does need you, Lucas. More than any of us," she finished, laying her hand on his back for a moment before walking away.
Nathan offered to give Peyton a ride home to save Brooke having to go back out again. They were sat outside Brooke and Peyton's new home. Nathan turned the engine off.
"How you doing, Sawyer?"
She looked at him and smiled sadly.
"Peyton, it's me you're talking to here. You don't have to put on any kind of front with me, okay?"
"I didn't think it would be so hard to see him," she whispered.
"Well the fact he acted like a total tool couldn't have helped," Nathan snapped.
"Nate, he's your brother," Peyton said, smiling.
"I know he is, but that doesn't mean that him treating you badly sits right with me."
"He was just shocked and angry and I guess I don't blame him."
"Not to mention jealous," Nathan replied, smirking and Peyton laughed.
"Yeah, he was all 'you called Nathan' shock horror, huh?" she replied smiling before lapsing back into a sad silence.
"I feel safer, just knowing he's in the same town. That's totally lame, right?" Peyton asked, pitying herself.
"I don't think so. I mean he was there for you the last time anything like this happened. And regardless of his actions today, as well as my animosity," Peyton looked at him and raised her eyebrow at Nathan. "Yeah, that's right, animosity," he said again and she laughed. "Anyway, as I was saying, despite my animosity towards him at the moment, you know as well as I do and as well as he does that he will do everything in his power to keep you safe."
"And as much as that helps me, it's also a huge problem," she sighed.
"Because of Lindsey?" Nathan asked.
"Yeah. I hate her," she said, smirking and Nathan laughed aloud. "I don't hate her, I barely know her but I don't know. My head hurts," she laughed, "I really need to go to bed."
"Sure thing, Sawyer. Call me in the morning?"
"Of course. And in the night if I need anything," she droned out.
"Don't mock me!" he said, teasing her and she leaned over and hugged him tight.
"Thank you for everything, Nate. I love you," she said to him quietly.
"Love you too, Sawyer. Now get your bruised ass to sleep."
She opened the car door and turned back to him to glare before stepping out of the car. She bent down slightly.
"Good night, Nate."
"Night Sawyer," he shouted as she closed the door.
She walked to the front door and turned back to wave as she stepped inside knowing that Nathan wouldn't drive off until he knew she was safely inside.
Lucas sat behind his desk in the basketball office the next morning. He hadn't slept well the night before, to the point that eventually he just got up and dozed on the sofa. He had either laid awake thinking about Peyton or slept fitfully due to the dreams that plagued him. He pulled out his cell and flicked it open. He scrolled down to Peyton's name and was just about ready to call her when Haley walked in with a cup of coffee.
"Do not even think about calling Peyton."
"I can call her, y'know. It's not a crime against Lindsey," he sighed.
"I know, dumbass. But it's like 8:30 and Peyton needs sleep, not you waking up with a pathetic apology," Haley sniped at him.
"If you're pissed at me, why did you come here?" Lucas asked becoming annoyed at the way Haley was treating him. He flicked down his cell and tossed it on to his desk.
"Because I wanna know the truth," she replied.
"About?" Lucas snapped.
"The proposal, in L.A."
"Haley, come on-" he shouted.
"No, Lucas! You come on!" she shouted back. "The story you gave me sounds like a load of bull from what Nathan and Brooke. And what they know seems to fit a hell a lot of more with what was said yesterday."
"And what?" he replied, standing. "So they heard Peyton's side of the story."
"Did she say no?" Haley asked.
"She didn't say yes!" he shouted.
"That is not what I asked. Did she say that word? Did you say marry me and she say no?"
"Not exactly."
"What did she say?"
"She said someday, to wait a year until we had our dreams. But not saying yes is not saying yes," he snapped.
"You're an idiot, you know that?" Haley said, laughing bitterly. "Is the other thing she said true? Did you leave her in that hotel room alone? Without even saying goodbye?"
Lucas looked at her and replied "yes" quietly.
"So Peyton tells you to wait for her for just one year and you throw a tantrum because you didn't get your own way? Does that not show just how unprepared you were for marriage in the first place?"
"Haley, do not lecture me," he said angrily.
"Do you regret it?" she asked.
"Why does that even matter. I'm with Lindsey now."
"Yeah you are. Because you're Lucas Scott and what does Lucas Scott do? Fall into another relationship because he can't get what he wants when he wants it. You and Peyton have so much to talk about that it's actually ridiculous. There is no way you are ready to be in another relationship when you left all those things unsaid between you and Peyton. Now answer me, do you regret it?"
"Everyday," Lucas replied quietly.
He was so sad and sounded so broken that Haley couldn't help but soften towards him. She was angry for the tale she had been told about how Peyton had said no and made it so he had no choice but to leave. But that wasn't the case and she was so disappointed that after having proclaimed to love Peyton as much as he did he would do something so base as to leave her alone in a hotel room.
"Then fix it. For your own sake and before more people get hurt," she begged him. "Talk to Peyton."
"I was going to go round this afternoon. I finish here at lunch."
"Good."
"Lindsey said I couldn't."
"She said that, really?"
"I know, I was shocked too. I told it would never happen. I'd never cut Peyton out. She needs me."
"I know she does, Luke," Haley said sadly. "But Peyton hasn't faced up to that yet. Just like you haven't faced up the fact that you need her too."
Leaving Lucas to dwell on those last few words, she gave him one last small smile before walking back to her classroom, sighing happily for having found out the truth and handing Lucas his ass, verbally.
Lucas had left the school at lunch time and gone home to change. He pulled a shirt over his head. As he went to close the drawer something caught his eye. It was a long forgotten photograph that he had found hidden in the pocket of his Keith Scott Body Shop hoodie the day after Peyton left for L.A. He didn't notice when Lindsey appeared at the door into his bedroom. She didn't move or say anything just watched as Lucas ran his fingers over something. He turned it over and smiled in spite of himself. Written on the back in the undeniable hand of Peyton was: Just so you don't forget me. I'll be seeing you. And always remember that whatever happens I'm going to love you forever, Lucas Scott xx. He dropped it back into the drawer and made his way to his bedroom door.
"You're going to see her aren't you?" Lindsey sighed.
"I have to, Linds. I know it's hard for you but I'm going."
Lindsey stepped aside slowly and it flashed in Lucas' mind that he didn't really like the new attitude Lindsey was carrying. She waited until she heard the door close and his Mustang fire up before stepping inside the room and walking to the draw that Lucas had just closed. She opened it and moved a few shirts until she found what she was looking for. It was a picture of Peyton on Lucas' bed in his hoodie, smiling. She turned it over and read the words written on the back. She replaced the photo as she had found it and wished that deep down she didn't know that Lucas would love Peyton Sawyer forever too.
A/N: So, there be chapter two. What do you think? I know that we only got some angry words between L/P but I've already started chapter 3 and they have a scene that totally makes up for it. I'm taking this one a little slower than usual cos I want to pay more attention to their thoughts and really make you feel how they're feeling etc. So next chapter will be less angry, but probably still angsty, L/P. Would love to hear from you especially whether this was a let down chapter after the opening, lol.