Ava Sanders sauntered up the steps of the apartment building, her arms wrapped tightly around a grocery bag. An hour ago she had received a phone call from Peyton; who had said in an indignant tone that it was an emergency, and she needed her. This resulted in her reluctantly leaving her lunch late with her latest eye candy. Sacrifices had to be made, she supposed. Why today of all days though, she didn't know.

"This better be important," she muttered briskly as she arrived outside Peyton's apartment.

"She called you too? Then it must be bad" a voice she recognized said from behind her.

Ava inhaled sharply and narrowed her eyes as she turned around to face a guy who was around six foot one. He had chocolate colored hair that was spiked up and dark green eyes. "What's that supposed to mean Craig?"

He swallowed nervously before quickly gaining his composure. Ava could be scary when she wanted to be. "I don't know maybe it means that when it comes to comforting someone you only make things worse. Oh and we can't forget that you're completely and utterly selfish! So Peyton must be desperate."

She scoffed bitterly. "I am not selfish," she hissed.

Craig snorted amused.

"Okay if I'm so selfish then why did I leave my lunch date with Jonathan? I also stop by the grocery store for her."

He rolled his eyes. "Wow, you did a couple of nice things today. What do you want a pat on the back? I bet you didn't even like him that much" he pointed out.

"Whatever" she retorted, "I don't have time for this. I'm going to go in and comfort my friend!"

Craig smirked slyly. "Good luck with that."

"Ha, luck I don't need it," she shoved the grocery bag into his arms and proceeded to dig in her purse for the key.

When she found it Ava moved closer to the door. "Hey, do you hear something," she asked, slipping the key into the lock.

"Hear what?"

"Put you ear against the door."

"Why? You'll just open the door as soon as I put my ear there, and I'll fall on the living room floor."

Ava sighed. "Must you be so suspicious? I'm not going to do anything, at least not today any ways." She folded her arms.

"Just open the door!" He shifted the bag in his arms a little.

"Fine." She turned the apartment key and then the knob, pulling the door open. The two found Peyton dressed in sweats and sitting on a bar stool in her kitchen drawing as music reverberated from the stereo in the living room.

"Peyton, are you okay" Ava asked as she closed the door after Craig had come in.

Peyton studied her drawing of Lucas; he was getting married and at the alter facing his bride whose was wearing a long wedding dress her face was covered by the veil. The sketch was titled Death of a Dream. Sighing she threw her pencil down. "Yeah I'm fine for a girl whose ex is not only getting married, but invited her to the wedding. Did you bring what I asked?"

"Lucas is getting married" he thought. "I'm sorry Peyton" Craig gave her a sympathetic look as he handed her the bag. He remembered how important Lucas was to her- still is.

"Thanks Craig."

"Oh you poor thing" Ava declared as she rushed over to her and wrapped in a hug. "I know this is hard, but it's been two years."

Peyton pulled away and glared at her while placing the grocery bag on the counter. Craig looked on incredulously and mumbled something along the lines of idiot, and I was right.

She quickly retreated. "Not that there's anything wrong with that- I'm shutting up now" she said nervously.

Peyton shook her head. "No, on some level you're right. I was just being naïve. You know believing that someday we'd get back together despite the fact that we haven't seen or talk to each other in two years. It was all very stupid of me," she bit hard on her bottom lip. "I just thought" she trailed off, flashing back to an old memory.

"Hey, nice shot" she called towards him placing her hands on her hips.

"Nice legs, a little chickety" Lucas said smirking.

Peyton laughed and hugged him. After a few seconds she pulled away and smiled. "Well I'll be seeing you" smiling, she turned and walked off.

"Hey Peyton" he called after her.

She faced him again.

"It's you," he declared as he walked toward her.

"What" a confused expression had come across her face.

"When all my dreams come true, the one I want next to me. It's you. It's you Peyton."

Her eyes widened in shock and she smiled, laughing softly as he stroked the side of her cheek until they kissed.

"How quickly things change" she thought bitterly, reaching into the bag she pulled out a huge carton of ice cream, cookie mix, cherries, and chocolate fudge sauce. "You got chocolate chip" she said referring to the cookie mix.

"Yeah, what's wrong" Ava asked.

"I kind of like your smile."

"Ooh" she remarked.

"No happy looks good on you."

"Yeah?"

'Uh huh" Lucas said as he nodded.

"I feel like I'm living in an air supply song."

"Oh you know if we're going to go 80s I'm more of a Van Halen fan," he laughed.

She placed a hand on his knee. "I was just...Everything's better now, you know. Pinks are pinker and blues are bluer and even my favorite foods taste yummier," she moved on to playing with the strings on his jacket.

"Yummier" he asked amused.

"Yummier" she declared. What's your favorite food?"

"Chocolate chip cookie."

"I'll tell you what; they probably taste so much better."

"Well if anyone can make a chocolate chip cookie taste better I'm sure it's you."

"See you are so feeling the love," she said enthusiastically.

"I'll share anything for a cookie."

Peyton tossed the box down, frowning. "I wanted oatmeal cookies, and I remember specifically asking for that," she snapped.

It occurred to Ava then why she was upset. "Oh, I am so sorry."

She rubbed her temple. "It's fine I shouldn't have asked you to go to the grocery store any way, I'll go get your money. I need to make a phone call first though."

Ava buried her face in her hands as Peyton walked down the hallway, heading toward her room. "Craig, you're right I am bad at comforting people."

"You're also insensitive, but yeah I told you so."

Peyton berated herself as she sat on the bed and reached for the cordless phone on the nightstand. Getting upset over something as silly as cookies was dumb but the day had started out bad, and she had a right to be angry. Exasperated she dialed Brooke's number on the phone.

"Hello."

"Brooke it's me hold on. I want to have this conservation only, once so I'm going to call Nathan and Haley too." She dialed their home number, groaning as it rang a couple of times.

"Hey Peyton."

"Nathan, get Haley on the phone also. We need to talk." She waited a few minutes until Haley was on the line and ready to start their three way phone call.

Tucking her hair behind her ear, she spoke. "If you're wondering I checked my mail and yes Nate there was something interesting in it," she hissed scathingly.

"P. Sawyer."

"Peyton" Nathan and Haley cried in unison.

"Don't you dare P. Sawyer me" she yelled. "How could you guys keep something this important from me? Especially, when you know that I still have feelings for Lucas!

"Well if you want to get technical we did tell you, just not everything."

"You are treading on thin ice Brooke Penelope Davis."

"See this is why we didn't tell you. We know you're still in love with, Lucas and because you found out about the wedding, you're upset. We were trying to-"Haley was cut off by Nathan.

"Soften the blow."

"It would have been nice to hear the news from friends and just so you know you it didn't soften the blow. I was drinking coffee while reading the invitation, and I was so horrified that I dropped my cup; it shattered and some coffee got spilled on my foot. It's a littled burned."

"That wouldn't have happened if you had a rug under your coffee table."

"Haley" Nathan and Brooke reprimanded.

"I'm just saying" she said sheepishly.

"Moving on can someone please tell why Lucas invited me to his wedding? I mean his has to know that this is very stupid of him. Invite the ex to the wedding that's real smart."

"I'm an ex of his too."

"You know why- it's different...and besides you two got closure and have been really good friends for some time now. Whereas I haven't spoken to him in two years! What's Luke's deal? Is this his way of rubbing it in that he's moved on?"

"No" Brooke said.

"Of course not" Haley murmured.

"That's not his reason."

"Then why? No good is going to come from this," she positioned herself more comfortably on the bed. "He has to know that, you guys too."

"He misses your friendship" Nathan said.

"So. What does he expect? Tell me Nathan, does he believe that I'm going to show up at his wedding and we'll become chummy again along with his wife. I can't do that. I won't do that," she spoke firmly.

"What are you going to do?" Brooke tapped her pen on the table as she waited for an answer.

"I don't know" she answered truthfully. This was all so draining and complicated.

"I'm sorry to cut this short but Haley and I, are having company over; we have to go."

Goodbyes were said and Peyton was only left with Brooke. "Hey I know the chances of this are slim but is Lucas going out of town anytime soon?"

"Why?"

"I think I need to come back to Tree Hill, and it'd be perfect if Lucas wasn't there when I visit. So is he leaving anytime soon?"

"I like Leah as much as the next person but this wedding is a mistake. The sooner she and Luke realized the better off, they'll be," she thought. If everything went as plan, she wouldn't have to do a thing; just leave it all up to, Lucas and Peyton. "I sorry Peyton, you'll forgive me for this later," she thought.

"As a matter of fact he is," she said smiling impishly.

Author's Note: Thank you guys for the awesome reviews you gave me last chapter, I hope you like this one too. Please tell me which part you like the most. In future chapters I will try to switch between Peyton and Lucas pov's. Oh speaking of Lucas he will be in the next chapter. Brooke will come to realize that her plan isn't so full proof and Lucas will run into to Peyton. Well until next time.