Peyton was already in love with Lucas by the time he announced he had HCM… I thought her reaction would be interesting – I imagined it to be quite… intense!

"Night, Mom," Lucas said, kissing his mothers forehead.

"Night, Lucas." She replied. "Honey, I'm glad you told me."

"Yeah," he smiled, looking slightly surprised at his own reaction. "Me too."

Lucas entered his room and flicked off the light, pulling his shirt over his head. With a sigh, he pulled back the doona on his bed.

Just as the door slammed back against the wall.

Lucas spun, just in time for Peyton to slap his face. His head swivelled.

"Ahh! Peyton!" Lucas recovered just in time to grab her arm before attempt two.

"How dare you? What were you thinking, Luke? Tell me that. What were you thinking, playing basketball, playing the hero, while the whole time you're heart was on the verge of giving up? How could you do that?" She yelled, wrenching her arm from his.

She looked wild, her blonde curls messy around her face and green eyes glistening with fury and tears. "How could you do that to me? What if I lost you, Luke?" Her voice broke. "I couldn't … if I lost you…" tears began to fall down her cheeks.

"Hey, hey!" He grabbed her shoulders gently. Peyton gripped onto his arms, looking down, hiding her face. "Peyton, hey."

She looked up, crying silently. "I lose everyone, Luke. I can't add you to that ever-growing list. How… how could you be so selfish?"

Lucas could almost feel his heart breaking at her words. "Oh, god, Peyton." He pulled her into his arms, crushing her slight frame against his chest. He could feel her body shaking with each sob. Her arms clutched at his chest, pinned between their bodies. "I'm so sorry, Peyton, I'm so sorry."

"Just don't leave me, Luke." She whispered into his chest.

He kissed the top of her head. "Never. I promise. I'll always be here for you."

Her arms moved to loop around his neck, her face resting on his shoulder. "You'd better."

Brooke paused at the door to Lucas's room, assaulted by the sight of her best friend in the arms of her boyfriend.

Shirtless.