A/N: Thank you for all your reviews. Truth be told this is my first fic, and I really didn't expect to get any at all. This chapter is mostly from Lucas' POV or at least tells what happened to him after they broke up. Please take note that I actually take pride in how I wrote Brooke and Jake, bit if you see any potential holes in thier story line, please tell me.

Okay I'll shut up now and let you read the story.

She was gone

She was gone. Peyton had said no and Lucas knew why. She was scared. She was running from what she truly wanted, what they both wanted.

He had said "oh" for lack of a better response, kissed her with all he could muster harboring a shattered heart and knowing full well that that would most likely be the last time that he kissed her and with that he took his exit.

After that one night in LA he never heard from or about her again for a long time. He slowly accepted that it was over, but the dull ache in his heart never quite went away and he often found himself staring off into space wondering what she was doing or what she was wearing.

--

He had moved to New York, and for a while he would just pick up random one night stands when he felt the need to, and continued his writing career. It didn't exactly take off, but his books sold so he was comfortable enough.

He still kept contact with Nathan and Haley, who were happily married with a son and a daughter on the way, and Brooke.

Brooke. He had come back to his apartment one day and found her there, just waiting for him. They had talked for hours about what they had missed in the other's life and soon enough he was kissing her. She was his newfound best friend and he found he still loved her, just not the same passion-filled way he had loved Peyton, but a in a sincere, good natured way.

They were for a year or so, neither wanting to make a major commitment like marriage, when they got into an . They had just been driving along and some jackass swerved into the wrong lane and crashed into them. They were taken to the hospital but nether of them were severely hurt, although they were both shaken up quite a bit.

After this "oh-so-dramatic-near-death-experience" as Brooke had put it, they both realized they were meant for others. They agreed that they both deserved someone that could give them more than they the other, but they were still great friends even after they had broken up, and stayed so through Brooke's various (failed) attempts at romance and Lucas' rising fame as an author with his new books.

But, sometimes late at night, he would once again find himself thinking about Peyton, and wishing the empty space in his bed was filled with her body, mind, heart and soul. He found himself missing her more and more each passing day.

--

It was a few months after he and Brooke up and he was just about to call her when he realized he didn't have her number anymore, hell he didn't know if she was still living in LA or if she was with someone when the phone rang.

He ran into the kitchen just in time to pick it up.

"Hey, Brooke" he said expecting it to be Brooke complaining about whatever the new boyfriend's problem was this time.

"Lucas?" He couldn't quite place the voice at once, but then it hit him.

"Jake?" He asked his tone evidentially confused.

"Hey, man. Um, listen I need you to do me a favor..." The voice on the other side was apprehensive and Lucas knew that whatever the favor was it, wasn't easy for Jake to ask.

"Yeah, anything man." He replied almost hesitantly

Jake sighed deeply "I need you to come down here and see Peyton. She's broken, man. Has been for a while and I know that it has something to do with you." Jake's request caught Lucas off guard to say the least. He took in a deep breath before asking what he almost feared the answer to:

"How do you know?"

Jake gave an almost ironic laugh "We got married, man."

Lucas almost screamed "WHAT?" into the phone, but decided against it when he realized that that wouldn't help the current situation as he could tell Jake was waiting for his reply. "Continue" was all he could give as a response.

"Well, we got married a while ago, but she never did let go of you. I could tell by the way she looked off into space every once and a while that she missed you. One day she came home with the divorce papers and I can't say I blamed her. She always deserved better than me, I knew so even in high school, and though I could tell that she loved me, I knew she loved you more. You need to see her, you need to tell her that you love her and you need to ride off into the sunset together."

Lucas just sat there his mouth slightly agape. He couldn't process all the information that had just been shoved at him. Peyton and Jake had gotten married. Peyton and Jake had gotten divorced. Peyton was broken and Jake was telling him to fix her.

He finally regained his composure after a few minutes of silence and asked the million dollar question: "Where is she now?"

"She's still up in LA. Different apartment than she was in before" as he told him the details on how to get there, Lucas scribbled it down on his hand while Jake continued talking. "She moved in after we broke up, while I went down to Savannah."

"You sure she's okay with me coming"

"Well, I didn't exactly tell her yet, but I'm sure she'll be thrilled to see you. Take good care of her Luke." Jake said as he was about to hang up he heard Lucas call into the phone:

"Hey, Jake?"

"Yeah?"

"Thank you."

"No problem, just make her happy again." and with that they both hang up.

On one end of the line Jake sighed. His job was done. Lucas was coming. He was going to come and hopefully he would be able make Peyton smile again.

On the other side of the line, however, Lucas was freaking out. He decided to go to LA right then, but as fate would have it, Brooke called.

"Hello?" He asked, not even bothering to assume who was calling.

"Hey Broody! What'cha up to?" Brooke's overly cheery voice came through the receiver.

"Actually I was just about to head out."

"Oh really. And you didn't even bother to invite me?" Brooke accused in mock anger.

"Actually I was going to go see Peyton" Lucas said in a small voice.

"WHAT??" Brooke all but screamed into the phone making Lucas' ear ring and making up for his lack of voice in his last statement.

"Yeah, well Jake just called and gave me her new address."

"Jake to the rescue, huh? You don't happen to have his number on you, do you?" Brooke asked trying to make it sound like she wasn't really interested in the man she always had a slight crush on in high school.

He laughed and gave her the number, "Okay we'll I'm heading to LA right now. See you Brooke."

"Bye. Oh and Lucas..."

"Yeah?"

"It's damn well about time." Lucas simply smiled and hung up. He got all the stuff he needed for the plane, not bothering to pack clothes, and rushed out to his car. He jumped in and drove to the airport. He didn't care that he had a long wait for the next plane out, just that he was going to get to see her again. Plus he needed time to figure out what he was going to say.

--

It was late night LA time when his taxi pulled up in front of her house. He handed the cab driver the money he owed him, plus a tip, climbed out of the cab and hesitantly walked up to her front door.

He tapped lightly on the door, but realizing that she most likely had her iPod blaring and couldn't hear his unsure knock, he rapped his knuckles against the wood three sharp times.

The door flew open and there she stood in all her glory, clad in a black Led Zeppelin concert tee and jeans. For the first few milliseconds he could tell that she was visibly annoyed by his late night visit. But as she realized that it was Lucas Scott was standing there, he could see her face visibly change from a look of annoyance to shock to timid and it showed in her voice when she whispered his name:

"Lucas?"