A/N: Only the first few chapters are going to be like this: long flashback and just a little present time. I just wanted to show how they get together. After this chapter…I think…flashbacks will be limited and I will focus on the main story. Not exactly sure why I set it up this way…I guess I am trying to be at a certain place with the flashbacks before the present takes place. And I also wanted to show how they got together. So just be patient with me for just another chap and I will get the present going.

It had been a few hours and the doctor came out. By the look of his face it didn't look good. It didn't look good at all. She saw the doctor come out of his room and breathed heavily before meeting him in the middle of the hall. Her eyes were swollen and her face was red; it was evident that she has been crying. Haley was asleep on Nathan's shoulder and he gently woke her up when he saw the doctor come out of the room. They were both closely behind Peyton as they were patiently awaiting the news.

"Don…pl please tell me he is ok?" she struggles to say as she looks up at the doctor with pleasing eyes.

"He is alive" he says giving her the most important news.

"Oh thank god" it was like a big weight was lifted off her shoulders. She hugged the doctor. This took him by surprise but he put smiled and put his hand on her back. He could tell how much he meant to her. "Thank you so much" she whispers in her ears.

Nathan had his arm around Haley's waist and pulled her closer as he heard the news. They were all relieved. Peyton reluctantly let go of the doctor; the sooner she let go the sooner she would have to hear the bad news. "We controlled the blood clot that formed. We believe his heart condition caused the blood clot to form because of lack of circulation in his chest. We got that back to normal and he should be conscious in an hour or so." Nathan put a hand on her shoulder as they heard everything was ok. However, Peyton didn't look too convinced; the look of his face revealed that something was wrong.

"There is a 'but' coming isn't there?" she knew it was bound to come. The doctor slowly nodded and Peyton nodded as well.

"Is it bad?" her eyes squinted a little.

"There was a complication that you need to know about." He said. This was always the hardest part.

"What kind of complication?" by the look at his face she knew it wasn't good.

"Is he ok doctor?" Nathan asked. The doctor looked both at Peyton and Nathan; their concern was understood. Telling them this type of news was going to be devastating.

"He is ok. He will be ok" he corrects himself.

"But…" Peyton says eagerly to know what was going on.

"We should sit down for this?" That didn't sound too good she thought. She looked over to Nathan and then Haley. They were all worried since the next few minutes of their life could be the worst news they would hear in awhile.

They were right.

Luke went over to the basketball court since he was meeting Skillz there. They would meet up every once in awhile to shoot some hoops or if he just had a lot on his mind. The River Court was the place where he did his best thinking. The reason he called the other night was to confirm plans about meeting up to play a game. He parked his car and got out of it, and there was Skillz shooting hoops. Skillz turned around to see Luke walking towards him. They both smiled and did their hand shake thing.

"Hey, how's it going man?"

"It's going good."

"How is Amy?"

"Real good, man. We visited her family over the break."

"Getting serious?" Skillz laughs a little. He thinks about it a little more and realizes Luke is right. In a way it was his first serious relationship.

"I guess"

"Good for you man" Luke liked Amy a lot for Skillz. She was good for him.

"So how was your break?"

"It was nice. Peyton and I hung out a lot; we finished this project thing we had going on"

"For the little Luke sibling?" he smiles and pushes Luke a little.

"Who told you?" Lucas smiles and watches Skillz do a lay up.

"Peyt told Nate. Nate and I were playing the other day and he mentioned it"

"Oh" Luke was staring out thinking about Peyton. He sighed heavily.

"Yo, did you come out here stare at the sky or play" Lucas smirks at him and grabs the ball from Skillz and shoots. Swish. Fifteen minutes into the game Luke's mind drifted off again. Skillz noticed his game wasn't on.

"Hey…Hey…Scott" Skillz finally says as Lucas finally looks in his general direction. "What's going on Luke? You're pretty out of it?"

"You know, you're lucky that I am here let alone talking to you" he walks over to the bleachers and sits on the first tier.

"Oh yea, and why is that?" Skillz follows him and they both drink their water bottles.

"You could not have called at a better time last night?" he says sarcastically.

"Well, you know me on timing." He smiles a little and notices Luke is serious. "What's up?"

"We were just about to kiss before you called?"

"You and Peyton?"

"No, Skillz me and Nathan. Of course me and Peyton."

"Dude chill. How was I supposed to know you were with her?"

"Look I am sorry. I am just pissed alright?"

"So wait man, I'm confused. You hung up and then what happened?"

"She left. And I have no idea why. I mean she had the same reaction when we kissed a few nights ago but…"

"Woah wait a minute" he starts cutting off Lucas. "You kissed her a few nights ago too!" all Luke can do is nod. "Dude you two got to have magnets in your mouth or something" Luke just laughs. "Seriously, you two kiss an awful lot man, especially since you two aren't even together" Luke just smiles and puts his hands on his head out of frustration. He looks up to the sky knowing Skillz was right.

"What's going on between the two of you?"

"Well I think my feelings for her are resurfacing?"

"You think? You think?" Skillz just laughs. "You two kiss more than Amy and I have and you just think there are feelings involved? God, dude are you that oblivious?"

"It's complicated, alright? I know my feelings for her are real, I knew it the moment we kissed. That's not the question."

"Then what is Luke?" Skillz cuts in.

"I don't know.

"She thinks that it's just because she is leaving for college that I am doing this. That I am just going to be lonely and confessing to her so she can stay?"

"Didn't you do that with Brooke?" Lucas gives him a look: the 'don't go there' look. "What man it's true. You told her you wanted to be with her as soon as she told you she was leaving to L.A. or wherever she was going."

"That's what Peyton said." that's all he could say. He understood their point of view; it did happen.

"Well that's probably why she left" he laughs a little wondering why Lucas was confused. "You know how Peyton is man. She is scared just like the last time"

"I'm scared too man." He says truthfully.

"Why you?" He looks confused waiting for the answer.

"Because I've never done this before. It was different will Brooke, Skillz. I loved her and we actually did make it a serious relationship, but we never did take it to the next level. Where our hearts are completely with that other person. I could never be completely open with her; it was more of a subconscious thing, and I know if I do this with Peyton its going to get there." He confesses.

"I know you're scared, but what about that thing you're missing. You have to tell her man. You have to take that chance and just speak with your heart. I'm sure she will feel the same way" he knew he was right. He knew she felt the same way. He could tell in her eyes last night. The moment when he told her she was beautiful to how frightened she was when she left his house.

The doctor got up and left her to deal with her thoughts. Nathan was holding Haley, but both of them were concerned with Peyton and more importantly Lucas. She pulled her knees to her chest and cried; she couldn't believe what she heard.

"Peyton" Haley said and Peyton looked up. "It could have been worse"

"Hales is right Peyt. It could have been worse"

"I…I know." She simply says. She didn't want to talk. Her guilty conscious was coming back. This was her fault. If it weren't for her they would have been on the couch right now watching tv, but because she wanted to rent a movie from Blockbuster he is still unconscious from a car crash that she caused.

She should have seen that car. She should have swerved or stopped the car sooner. She should have looked before she drove when the light turned green.

"Peyton" she looked up at Nathan. "What are you thinking?"

"I did this" she said quietly not really looking at anyone.

"What are you talking about?" Haley asked. Haley and Nathan both looked at each other; both equally confused.

"It's my fault" she said. Haley and Nathan gave her a look and Peyton looked as if she was off in her own little planet that was before the doctor disrupted her of her thoughts.

"Mrs. Scott." Peyton looked up. "Your husband's awake" she smiled at the words. It seemed like a big weight was lifted off her shoulders. He was awake, but in a way she felt worse; facing him might have been harder then she was willing to handle.

"I'll be there in a few minutes" she said. She looked at Haley and Nathan; she was more scared then ever.

It was late. After the one on one with Skillz he stayed at the River Court longer to think. He needed to think what he was going to say to her and how. He was blank though. He sat for two hours and he had no idea what to do or what to say. He knew Skillz was right; all the thinking in the world wouldn't mean anything. He just needed to speak from his heart. He went back to his house. He sat on the bed and took out a box under his bed. He opened the lid and put it to the side. He took out all the things insides of it. He hasn't looked at it for awhile. There were at least ten pictures of the two of them and four sketches Peyton gave to him. There were cds and letters that she gave to him and that he wanted to give to her. It was his Peyton box. He put it together mostly right after they broke up, but he continued to write unsent letters when he was at Charleston with Keith. Anytime he thought about her he would just write what he was feeling. Brooke figured he got rid of it, but for some reason Lucas just held on to it. He couldn't find it in heart to throw that away; it would be like throwing away his history with Peyton which was something he wasn't ready for. He kept in under his bed pretending that it didn't exist just like buried his feelings for her under his heart pretending that they didn't mean anything.

He finally got into his car and made his way to see her. He put in the latest cd she made him. The first song that came up was "Chasing Cars"; she told him it reminded her of the summer they spent with one another. He smiled remembering the day she gave him this cd. A Rolling Stones song as the clouds began to roar. It was raining really hard. He looked at the clock in his car, and it read 11pm. He knew she would still be awake though especially with the weather being the way it was. He put his car in park and went to the front door. He walked up the stairs and he could hear music coming from her room. Dashboard Confessional was on: the epitome of emo.

"Big step down from the Beatles. Wouldn't you say?" she turned around and saw him soaked. She put the volume down but still enough to hear the music that was playing.

"What are you doing here?" He walked in ignoring her question and just focusing on her.

"Luke you're soaked. Let me get you a towel" she said in a worried voice. She left the room, and got him a towel. "Here" she hands it to him.

"Thanks." He grabs the towel from her hand. Their hands touch and she instantly moves towards the other way. He could tell she was nervous. "It's crazy out there" he said. He started to wipe his face with the towel and his arms. Someone had to break the silence.

"What are you doing here?" she asked again.

"Well, I wasn't sure if your power was going to go out, and since you hate thunderstorms I thought I would you know, stop by" she smiled at how nervous he was. He was so cute.

"What are you really doing here Luke?" he would do this anytime the weather was this bad, but she could also tell when he was bull shitting the truth.

"I needed to see you. The other day didn't end the way I hoped. We need to talk Peyt"

"I think we said everything we needed to say Luke"

"I didn't though" he said.

"No?"

"No. Not at all. You asked how I was feeling and I couldn't say anything. I didn't know what to say or how to say it. I was afraid, but there's nothing to be scared of if were just honest right? I need to tell you what's been going on."

"I'm listening"

"I don't want you to go. Alright? I am going to miss you. But this isn't just because I am lonely and I am not going to have anyone. It's because I am not going to have you." Soon when he said this, her eyes got big and she was staring right into his eyes trying to read every little detail he was thinking. "You're irreplaceable Peyton. I know this is what I want. As much as I wanted it to work out with Brooke; it didn't and it couldn't. It just wasn't the same. It wasn't nearly the same. Peyton I never gave this piece of my heart before. I wasn't sure why at the time, but I know; I know why I could never be open with Brooke. It's because it's always going to come back to you. No matter what happens whether it's Brooke or Anna or even Jake, I am always going to be connected to you. I want that chance with you because I know if we try it will work. And I realize it won't be easy but I want this. Us." He points to the both of them. "I think I have known this for awhile now but I wasn't sure if those feelings were real or if they would pass, but when we kissed" he smiles and shakes his head not exactly sure how to explain how he felt. "Everything just came back Peyt. From our first conversation to our first kiss to when we lost one another to when we found each other again. And I know that these feelings I have for you and the history between us will never go away completely. Those feelings are always there, and something will always set them off. Whether it's an emotional day or if we just get lost in each others eyes, it always happens, but I always let it go. But I can't do that anymore. There is too much of a risk involved if I just let you go." He finished. Tears were glistening in her eyes as she listened to every word he said. She finally met his eyes once again and he smiled back. Hands Down came on on her Dashboard cd, and she recognized an all too familiar tune. She smiled as she heard the song come on. They both turned towards the radio and smiled.

Breathe in for luck
Breathe in so deep
This air is blessed
You share with me

He looked back towards her.

"Tell me what you're thinking Peyt?" he had to know. She looked towards him and this was finally it; all the feelings she has been hiding for the past 3 months were finally going to get out in the open.

"I've waited for this for so long Luke. Since even before your break up with Brooke, my feelings for you resurfaced. I tried to deny them, I tried to push them down, I tried to be with another guy; but it only led to my feelings for you to grow stronger." She looked down and looked back into his eyes. "I knew it the first time we had a conversation and each moment after that, that you weren't just some guy. I know we had problems, but it's like there is something bigger, beyond our control that is always pulling me back to you."

My hopes are so high that your kiss might kill me
So, won't you kill me

So I die happy
My heart is yours to fill or burst
To break or bury
Or wear as jewelry
Whichever you prefer

"Why didn't you tell me sooner?" he wasn't mad, just curious.

"For the past year this" she pointed to both of them. "has been the most important part of my life. And I just couldn't risk jeopardizing that. I didn't want to loose you even if it was as a friend." He understood what she was saying. "And I was scared. I haven't done this before. I haven't let go of my heart completely. But I want this now. I want this with you because I think it's the only way it will work." She puts her hands on his chest going close to him staring into his eyes. "I want you. I am ready" she said.

"We are both ready" he corrected. They both smiled, and he took her into his arms and kissed her.

Hands down this is the best day I can ever remember
I'll always remember the sound of the stereo
The dim of the soft lights
The scent of your hair that you twirled in your fingers

Her hand was placed firmly on his heart and his hand was on her neck and on her waist. Slowly their kiss ended and their foreheads leaned against one another.

"Luke"

"hmm" he says.

"What about college?"

"What about it?"

"You're staying here and I am off too Rhode Island" he looked at her and forgot. She could tell he forgot. His face was blank and hers was too. "Maybe this isn't a good idea. Getting together right before were getting ripped apart" she moved back from his arms and looked into his face desperately trying to read what was on his mind.

"No…" he said pulling her back to him and kissing her lips again. He held her face with both his hands, and then looking into her eyes. "I don't care" he said. He moved the strands of hair behind her ear. "This is all that matters." He says kissing her again. "I love you" he said it. It was the first time he actually said it, and the first time that it ever meant anything to her.

"I love you too"

And this walk that we shared together
The streets were wet
And the gate was locked

So I jumped it and let you in
And you stood at the door with your hands on my waist
And you kissed me like you meant it

She kissed him back running her hand through his hair. She hugged him and he wrapped his strong arms around her fragile body. The comfort of his arms made her shiver down her whole body. This was it; the feeling of love. Goosebumps ran all over her arms, and she looked into his blue, piercing eyes and knew everything would be ok.

And I knew that you meant it
That you meant it

That you meant it

And I knew
That you meant it

That you meant it

It was the song that crashed their lives together, and crashed two souls that formed an indestructible bond. The two souls that could face anything: death, growing apart, other loves, and doubts.

Even though it seemed like forever ago when their lives crashed and even though it took them forever to actually get together, it was only the beginning. Could the two actually face anything together?

She walked inside using all of her might to hold back her tears. Nathan and Haley allowed her to go in first. The site of him on the hospital bed and knowing his condition made her remember how much she hated hospitals. She looked into his eyes and he saw her. They both faintly smiled. For that moment it was just the two of them. Their world stopped and it was just Lucas and Peyton. Everything was ok for that one moment, but unfortunately that wasn't reality. He was still in the hospital bed. They were still involved in a car crash. And Lucas Scott's life was still greatly affected, and always would be.