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After the goodbye party for Peyton, Lucas made a quick exit, he couldn't stand all the goodbyes especially when his heart was in such conflict. He watched Peyton all night and saw the girl he fell in love with, he watched her with all her friends and realised how loving she was, how much people cared for her, but most importantly he realised how much he hurt her and couldn't face saying goodbye to her. Therefore when he left the party the first place he headed to was River Court, it was the place where he could go to clear his head, where most of the best moments of his life happened. Switching on the tights he took his basketball and made a few free throws, before sitting in the middle of the court and looking at the signatures that had been written on the court 4 years ago, when life was simple and Lucas knew what he wanted and who he loved. A little while passed and a familiar face showed.
"Hey" Haley whispered as she sat down beside Lucas on the court.
"Lindsey stopped by today" Lucas blurted out in a hurt voice.
"She's here?" Haley looked at her friend with curiosity.
"Well not anymore...I had to see Brooke and help out" Lucas responded.
"The love triangle, how nice...what did Lindsey want?" Haley laughed at the situation.
"She wanted to tell me that my book is done, everything except a dedication, but she said I could email that to her...I was thinking about taking off for a little while." Lucas was angry as he put his head in his hands, he was desperate and didn't know what to do next.
"Lucas please stop running! Come on you gotta let go of this dark weight your carrying around." Haley grew increasingly worried, wrapping an arm around her best friend.
"This morning Nathan told me the darkness doesn't have any answers" He whispered under his breath.
"He's right, you saw him after his accident, look at him now. You know that romantic notion that all the garbage and the pain is actually really healing and beautiful and poetic...It's not its just garbage and pain...Do you know what's better...love, the day you start thinking love is over rated, your wrong. The only thing wrong with love, faith and belief is not having it." Hearing those words from Haley, his eyes started to fill with tears and Haley just sat there holding her friend while he sobbed.
Meanwhile Peyton was at her office, doing some last minute jobs before she had to go, it was obvious that it had been a tough day, from her tear stained cheeks. Peyton was sitting on her desk signing contracts when her phone began to ring, she avoided answering it, fearing it could be Lucas, after ringing for several minutes she decided to answer it, hearing a familiar voice.
"Hey Mia, I'm on the next flight out, I will call you when I land." Peyton was talking to Mia, when she looked up to see Lucas stood in front of her "Hey I've got to go Mia, Bye." She hung up the phone and sat there in silence for a few moments, waiting for him to speak.
"I don't hate you...I remember the first time I ever saw you...all skinny arms and tangled mess of hair...it was hard letting you go Peyton" hearing those words from Lucas, Peyton gives a knowing nod. "It was hard losing you and it was hard seeing you again and its still really hard." Lucas remained stood in front of her, fighting back the tears as he watched her tears fall, he longed to reach out and hold her but refrained.
"When I'm asleep I have this dream that were back in that hotel room in L.A. And you propose to me...and every single time I say yes!" She whispers as she wipes the tears from her face.
"Its just a dream, right?" He questions her, but yet he doesn't want to hear her answer for fear it might break his heart.
"It's my dream" Hearing her say those words he felt awful, what had he done to that girl that inspired him so many years ago, that same dream had been his for many years, but it soon faded, it was only recently that this same dream had been recurring for both of them.
Since Lucas had left her office earlier, Peyton did noting but go over everything they spoke about, going over and over it in her head. She hadn't moved from the same spot she was sat in, to fill the time she had resorted to drawing, her art was her way of expressing how she felt. She was surprised to hear a voice from behind her as she had lost track of time.
"You ready?" Brooke spoke as she surprised Peyton, who turned around quickly putting her drawing into her bag.
"Yea, I think so" Peyton replied, as she stood and took one last look at her office. Brooke walked up to Peyton and wrapped an arm around her, she could see Peyton was about to cry.
"It's still going to be here when you get back...Come on then lets get you to the airport." Brooke said comforting Peyton. The both left Tric and Brooke drove them to the airport. When they arrived Brooke got out of the car and walked Peyton inside the airport, they were silent for most of the car journey and Brooke was hoping that Peyton would realise she was making a mistake, but she knew it wasn't her place to interfere.
"Brooke...Do you think I'm doing the right thing?" Peyton asked with confusion on her face.
"Only you can answer that hunni...Your going to be ok and I'm going to miss my best friend." Peyton knew she was making a mistake, her heart told her to stay, but her head was shouting run.
"I love you Brooke, Thank you for everything, I will call you when I land." Peyton whispered while she thought back the tears that glazed her eyes, she hugged her friend in a final embrace. Peyton picked up her bags and started to walk away.
"I love you too P.Sawyer." Brooke whispered, tears falling freely down her face as she watched her friend walk away.
Meanwhile Lucas gets home to find an empty house, his mind confused over the events of today, trying to figure everything out he sits on his bed and places his head in his hands, the silence was deafening. All of a sudden Lucas looks up, he looks over at the poster of his first book signing, the memories of that day flooding back to him, he thought about how he always believed that Peyton never showed that day, until she told him she was there a few weeks back. He wished he could go back to that day, to find Peyton and make things right again, all his head was full of what If's. A final look of certainty comes over his face and he walks over to his sock draw the place he had hidden his engagement ring, rummaging through the draw he finds a small box of mementos, taking the lid of he finds reminders of Peyton, photos and letters with small objects that signified their love for each other. Holding a photo of her in his hand, he looks down at his watch, in a flash he puts the photo in his pocket, rushes over to side and picks up his keys to exit the house, just the sound of the engine could be heard as he drove off.
As Brooke leaves the airport, she begins to walk over to her car, unaware of those around her until a familiar face comes crashing into her, trying to gain her composure she looks up and stares at him in surprise, he stands their trying to catch his breath.
"Luke...What are you doing here?" Brooke asks while trying to steady Lucas as she tries to help him catch his breath.
"Where's Peyton?" He takes hold of Brookes arm and demands to know through his fast paced breathing. Brooke looks at him disbelief.
"She's gone, it's too late" She watches as his face falls to the ground, she can see his heart breaking, she again tries to hold him up as his body goes limp at hearing those words.
"What?" He whispers under his breath, Brooke looks down at her watch and grabs Lucas by the face, so that he can make eye contact with her.
"Her flight leaves any minute now...Look you still might have time, she is departing from gate 12, now hurry!" She gives him a push in the direction of the airport as his face beams and he sprints off.
"I knew you loved her!" Brooke shouts as he runs into the airport, she smiles to herself and crosses her fingers hoping Lucas can catch her.
