Never Tear Us Apart
Adia

Peyton held her hands on either side of her forehead and leaned against her Comet. She knew she was going to have to drive them to the church whether she wanted to or not, she promised Nathan. But she didn't know how she was going bare the silence in the car, or if she was going to be able to drive for that matter. She saw Brooke help Lucas up from the grass and they began walking towards her. She closed her eyes and decided that she was going to have to put those fears aside and just get through the next fifteen minutes. Walking over to the driver's side she shook her head in disbelief. Brooke got in and then Lucas. Brooke lightly touched Peyton's arm to show that she was still there for her. Peyton smiled but didn't turn her head to the side, for the risk of slightly seeing Lucas in the backseat.

That is how the long, drawn out, silent fifteen minutes went: Peyton keeping both of her hands on the steering wheel driving as fast as the speed limit allowed, Brooke patiently tapping her foot to the soundly music playing throughout the car, and Lucas, his head in his hands trying to push out the mind splitting hang over that was creeping in.

Once they reached the church Lucas got out and just walked to the side doors where he was instructed to do so, not looking back at what he was leaving; Peyton.

Peyton swore her heart couldn't break anymore than it already had but she could feel each broken piece break into another million pieces as Lucas disappeared into the church. She couldn't hold it in any longer. "Brooke," She began to cry heavily.

Brooke grimaced but took Peyton into her arms, soothingly rubbing her back. "You know, I can understand if you can't go in there now." Brooke moved back a bit to look Peyton in the eyes.

Peyton thought about it for a second, she couldn't escape how amazing the thought of not going in there sounded. But then again she wanted to see if he'd really go through with it after what he just told her. Peyton sighed, but do I really want to subject myself to that kind of hurt, again? Peyton looked down at her dress, feeling self-conscious. She made her decision and turned to Brooke. "I am sorry, Brooke, but I can't." Peyton tilted her head and bit her lip.

Brooke nodded understandingly and hugged her once more. "I will make sure to come straight home after the reception and we can have a girl's night okay? Some movies and ice cream and good old Jack." Brooke smiled sympathetically. Peyton just nodded and turned her head when Brooke leaned in to kiss her on the cheek, Peyton doing the same. "Bye," Brooke whispered before stepping out of the car and grabbing her wedding present for Lucas and Lindsey out of the trunk.

Peyton made sure she made it to the doors okay and then drove off down the street.

As Brooke made her way through the crowded Narthex she couldn't help but smile at her god son Jamie who was standing patiently by the sign-in book.

"Hey little buddy," Brooke crouched down and laid a kiss on Jamie's cheek.

Jamie smiled and hugged Brooke. "Aunt Brooke!" Jamie then looked around for his Auntie Peyton and frowned. "Where's Auntie Peyton Aunt Brooke?"

Brooke grimaced, "I'm sorry buddy but she couldn't make it today, she wasn't feeling too well. But I am here and I can see that Uncle Skills is too," Brooke nodded behind Jamie, causing Jamie to turn around.

"Uncle Skills!" Jamie ran over to him and Skills picked him up bumping fist with him.

"There's my little player, how's it shaking tiger?" Skills asked looking at Brooke already understanding what was wrong with Peyton.

Brooke smiled thankfully and walked off to find Mouth and Millicent.

"I wonder where Auntie Peyton is," Jamie asked Skills.

Skills let Jamie down so they could walk back over to the guest book. "I don't know," Skills lied.

Jamie furrowed his brows. "I think she doesn't want to see Uncle Lucas get married to Lindsey," Jamie looked at the crowd nodding his head.

"Have I told you how incredibly smart you are?" Skills asked.

"Not lately, but thank you, you can be smart too Uncle Skills." Jamie smiled.

Skills laughed and then lead the two of them to back of the church.

Lucas walked out of the men's restroom and bumped into Brooke. Of course, Brooke immediately grabbed him and they stepped into an empty Sunday school room.

"You are such a jackass, you know that Lucas E. Scott?" Brooke pointed her index finger at him square in the face. "You totally made her feel like a load of shit for the past three months and outcast her for coming back here. And don't even get me started on how you acted like a huge baby the night you proposed to her, and don't deny it because I was there, you were a baby. Now you are completely trashed and Luke, Lindsey is going to notice, what I just can't understand is why you are even here, you should be chasing after the woman we all know you love, and her name does not start with an 'L'." Brooke whispered the last part in a deathly lone tone, backing up to cross her arms.

Lucas didn't even know what to say so he just stood there.

Brooke rolled her eyes at the sorry sight before her. "What has happened to the men I used to know? Mouth is apparently sleeping with his boss just to get ahead in his job, Nathan won't own up to cheating with 'Nasty' Carrie, and you, you is a sorry excuse for the man you used to be and the man that claimed he loved in his novel." Brooke closed her eyes tightly before breathing in and stepping just one step back. "If you go through with this Lucas, I swear I will not ever talk to you again. I have kept my mouth shut for a long time thinking you'd come to your senses and break it off with Lindsey. But there is only so much I can take of seeing my friend broken apart before I can't hold my tongue." Brooke shook her head once more before leaving Lucas in the room by himself with his thoughts.

He knew Brooke was right, she was always right. But it was a harder decision when there was a church filled with hundreds of people anxiously awaiting the wedding of the year; especially when his mother and Andy were out there. And Lindsey, Lucas' stomach twisted at the sight of her face if he ran. But then he remembered Peyton's face when she had found out he proposed to Lindsey, the same night Peyton had told him she still loved him; he was going to say he loved her too but chickened out; which left him where he was now at a crossroad.

Finally Brooke found Millicent and Mouth who were sitting closer to the front of the church; she hurried down there to grab a seat. Right as she sat down and turned to talk to Millicent the Grand Piano began the opening notes to a soft tune. She smiled politely at Millicent as they were instructed to stand.

Brooke turned slightly to look around the people in front of her to see if Lucas was up at the altar yet; sadly, he was. Brooke tried to read his eyes but she was either too far away or he was blocking them. She glared at Nathan as he walked up there as well. She loved the man but, seriously? Who knows where Nanny Carrie had been… Brooke shuddered at that thought. She turned to her left and saw Lilly and Jamie walk hand and hand down the aisle, Lilly freely throwing flower petals every which way and Jamie looking like he had better things to do. Brooke chuckled at the thought of how he was going to be a Tarrant when he grew up. Next was Haley, she was stunning in her black laced dress. It complimented her beautifully.

Then she looked once more at Lucas before she turned to see Lindsey walk down the aisle in the dress Brooke designed. She frowned, she felt bad for Lindsey, she did, but she had to have known what she was walking into she did after all edit the freaking book that's also known as a love letter to P. Sawyer.

Within seconds Lindsey had met Lucas at the altar and was smiling like crazy. Lucas tried to put on a smile but just couldn't seem to make it reach his eyes. Lindsey did not fail to take notice this and leaned forward and whispered, "Are you okay Lucas?"

Lucas lost his train of thought and looked sternly at Lindsey but it was almost as if he was looking through her.

"Lucas? You are starting to worry me," Lindsey pleaded as she squeezed his hands, growing impatient as the preacher told some story about love.

Lucas looked out into the church and locked eyes with Brooke. He nodded his head to her and then turned back to Lindsey and opened his mouth to say something.

Peyton pulled up to the bridge where she was just half an hour before and climbed out of her car. She felt relief once she walked down and under the bridge to the spot where she and Brooke would sit when they were younger. Peyton squinted her eyes at something blindly shiny out in the grass towards the right of her. She pulled herself up to figure out what it was. She gasped as she saw that it was Lucas' bottle of Jack Daniels. She leaned down to pick it up deciding that she might as well finish it off; but when something white caught her eye. She reached down for it as well and unfolded it. She gasped as she realized it was his vows for the wedding. She couldn't help herself from reading them.

Where do I even begin? We have been through so much these past two years and we have learned so much about each other that that is what makes this day so much more than a date in a calendar or a time slot on our daily clocks. You make me a better person; you make me see good in the world where it normally doesn't see light. You were always the person who stuck by my side and never left, even through the worst. I guess that is why they say 'for better and for worst'. I want all my days to be spent by your side, whether they are good, bad, happy or sad. When I hold you it is like you were made specifically for me and when I kiss you it is like I get lost in you. I guess what I am trying to say is I love you Peyton Elizabeth Sawyer and it has always been you and it will always be you.

Peyton stumbled backwards. It was for her, not for Lindsey. Peyton looked up at the top at the date Lucas scribbled down, October, 9 2008-the day Lucas had asked her to marry him three years ago.

Whoa, Peyton thought, speechless.

Lucas looked into Lindsey's eyes and released her hands from him. He cringed at the gasps from the people in the rows in front of them and the whispers.

"Lindsey, I am sorry but I cannot marry you." Lucas said, loud enough for the people at the altar to hear him.

"What?" Lindsey whispered in a hurtful tone, blinking away tears.

"A friend told me once that people who love each other always find each other in the end," Lucas smiled at Brooke, who returned a soft smile back to him. "And my heart, it belongs to Peyton. I am so, so sorry Lindsey. But I can't marry you." Lucas kissed the back of her hand and took off down the aisle, Nathan running after him.

There you go!! Review please, I know you all have something to say!!