October 4th, 2011 (Just after the Season 5 Finale)

Tree Hill, North Carolina

The Rivercourt

Peyton Elisabeth Sawyer lay on the ground of the Rivercourt, running her hands over the cement. She could easily tell the difference between the cold cement that had been there for as long as she could remember and the black paint that was scripted across the pavement. The cement had a feel to it, a feel that had nothing to do with the grainy rocks, or the pavement that it was made out of, and more to do with the millions of footsteps that had walked across that pavement, hundreds, Peyton was sure, were hers. And thousands belonged to the reason that she was here in the first place. Lucas Scott probably spent half of his childhood here, lying where she was, running where her hands touched the cement, and where she laid, pressed to the cold, hard ground.

She hadn't meant to come down here after work, but it really was the only place that she could come to think anymore, probably thanks to Lucas. Strike that, she thought, inwardly cringing as she shied away, even internally from the truth. It was definitely thanks to Lucas that this was the only place that she could come to think. Because he was the only place that she could ever think. And this place, running her fingers over the places that she was sure his sneakers had touched; this was the closest she was getting to him. Which was ridicules, really, because she was supposed to hate him. He hated her. He had told her that. But she knew it wasn't true. It hurt like hell that he could think it was true, but she knew it wasn't. Because she had known Lucas Scoot longer than anyone except Haley and she knew what he was thinking, even when he didn't want her to. Which seemed like all the time now. So in all reality, she should hate him. He should hate her. But because she knew he didn't, she couldn't.

Sighing, she pulled herself from the ground, almost sighing in relief as the rocks that dug into her back were dug out of her shoulders. She forced her mind off of what had led her to the Rivercourt in the first place and back on to what had led to her needing a quiet place to think. Derek. And Mia.

That phone call had just been so weird. She tried to remember everything Mia had said, but all she had gotten was a voicemail that she knew by heart, by now. She pulled her phone out anyway, pressing the familiar buttons until she heard Mia's familiar voice in her ear. "Hey Peyton, it's just me. Mia. I'm in DC this weekend, which you know, because she booked this concert, but whatever. Just called to let you know I met a guy. And he's older. And before you start to have a heart attack, he's not that much older. He's like a few years older than you. You know, and I don't like him like that. But, he knows you. Well, he knows who Ellie is, anyways. He's a marine, and he just got off his tour a few days ago, and he was heading back to Tree Hill, actually, so I told him I'd come with him. We'll be in on the 9th, Thanks!"

She was almost positive that it was Derek that she had met, just because all the facts matched up. She hoped to god that she didn't really like him, not because she didn't love Derek, or Mia, but because she was sure that this was the last thing Mia needed. Or maybe she was just upset that Mia had a date and she had an ex-fiancé that she was in love with and a record studio. Oh her life kicked some major ass right now.

He phone ringing pulled her out of her train of thoughts, but only until she saw the caller ID. Lucas. She sighed before snapping open the phone and pushing it to her ear.

"Hello?"

"Hi, Peyton, it's Lucas." His voice was nervous sounding, and that freaked Peyton out. Her brain immediately flew to all the things that could have gone wrong. Angie, Brooke, Angie, Karen, Angie…

"Is everything alright? Is Angie okay?" She asked frantically as soon as she could speak again.

"Yeah, Angie's fine, I guess. And everyone else is okay, I think. Actually, I called to ask you something." More nerves.

"Okay, what is it Lucas?" She would have done anything for him, and both blondes knew it, so it was just a waste of time to respond with anything other than a yes, no matter how pathetic.

"I'm at the airport and I have two tickets to Vegas. Do you want to get married tonight?"

She dropped the phone, and the only thing she could think of as she watched the phone shatter across the cold cement was the old dropped call commercials. Without bothering to even fix the broken phone,fir fear of him thining she had intentionally hung up on him, she raced for her car as fast as she could, driving ten miles above the speed limit the entire way home, her head racing fifty miles per hour above that, filled with questions about his seriousness, and his sanity. She whipped through the house, past a broken looking Brooke Davis and into the kitchen where she dialed the number that she only whished she could not have known so quickly.

"Lucas. I'm so sorry, the phone dropped and I had to come home." She was out of breath, and she knew that she sounded slightly crazy as she held the phone to her ear, waiting for a reply. She got nothing. Only silence. "Lucas?" Her voice was a little bit weaker, but it was nothing compared to the tear filled sob of Lucas' voice.

"I thought I was too late. I thought you were hanging up on me."

"Lucas, no. Are you serious?"

"I would have deserved it; I've been so much of an ass-" Peyton cut him off mid sentence with a breathy laugh.

"No, I know that you have serious self confidence issues. I mean are you serious about the Vegas thing Lucas?" Her voice was doubting, and now that was mostly because she was sure he was sober.

There was a long pause before Lucas began to speak again, his voice still filled with the same sense of self confidence. "Peyton, this morning you told me that it was your dream to have me propose again in LA. And to say yes. But what I didn't tell you was that it was my dream too. And Peyton, you're the one I want next to me when all my dreams come true. So come, to Vegas with me, because I love you Peyton Elisabeth Sawyer, and I want to love you forever."

There was another pause, not because she didn't know what to say, she did. This boy was her life, and her soul and she was nothing without him. She loved him more than she loved anyone in her life, and she needed him by her side when all her dreams came true.

"How long should I pack for Luke?" She finally said, her mouth breaking into a wide grin as she heard him begin to cheer. She was sure he was making an idiot of himself in the airport, but she really didn't care.

"Four days?" He asked, his voice full of excitement and just a joy that she hadn't heard in so long.

"Done." She said, laughing at how easily she fell back into her routine of being with him. She spun her head around, and her joy melted when she saw the sight in front of her. "Lucas we can't do this." She whispered, and she was sure that she heard his heart stop.

"What? I thought you said…"

"I know. But Lucas, I can't leave Brooke here. She's a mess."

He burst out laughing, which wasn't the reaction that Peyton had been expecting, but it was better than crying, or a dial tone, so she took it. "Peyt, I will buy another ticket. She wouldn't ever forgive us if she missed this anyways. And what better way can you honestly think of to break her out of her depression?"

"And Nathan and Haley and Jamie?"

"I'll call Hales when we get there and see how soon she can make it out."

"And what about our parents?"

"They'll understand." He was sure of himself, positive that their love could overcome anything. "And if they don't we'll have a big wedding when we get back."

"We should do that anyways." Peyton said, nodding her head against the phone as she heard the house phone ring. Brook picked it up, and from the way that he body stiffened, The blonde could tell it was from some with Angie.

"Two hours. The plane leaves in two hours."

"I'll be there. With Brooke."

"I love you Peyton Elisabeth Sawyer."

"And I love you Lucas Eugene Scott." She replied, smiling as she said it, and then hung up the phone, and was face to face with the astonished face of her best friend.

"Did I just hear what I think I heard?" The brunette asked, the disbelief evident in every word and movement. The disbelief faded as Peyton recounted the story, and turned to joy soon after, and the joy on both girls faces was obvious as they made their way into the airport, only to find Lucas face to face with Lindsay Strauss.

A/n: Read and Review Please! I've been writing a Twilight fic latley and there's not much reviews over there, and i miss them! I was psyced when i got the reviews last chapter! Thank you! And if anyone is confused about the timing, or i made a mistake with the years PM me, or Review