Hi everyone, here is the next chapter of Never Too Late. Once again, I hope you all enjoy it. I know it's been awhile, but it's summer; time for the beach and hanging out with friends. I really don't have a lot of time to write, but anyways, I hope you like this; please review if you do.

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Thanks to: simoman, jamyj30, joise, othstwey, luvetheOC09, LeytonTilEnd, eerriinn91, lonely girl 23, LeytonLover3, for reviewing on my last chapter. I really appreciate it guys. :

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Song recommendation: Tonight by FM-Static.

Book recommendation: Second Glance by Jodi Picoult

Quote: Time takes it all, whether you want it or not. Time takes it all, time bears it away. And in the end, there is only darkness. Sometimes we find others in that darkness, and sometimes we lose them there again. --- Stephen King.

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"Are you okay?" Lucas asked as Peyton laid her head against the cool, tiled floor. She didn't answer him; just listened to her heart beat as it pounded through her head. She heard Lucas flush the toilet and open the cabinet door to get out a wash cloth. But before he even put it on her forehead, she was back throwing up into the porcelain bowl. Lucas dropped the wash cloth and was instantly behind her holding her short hair out of her face. She groaned as she finished and collapsed against the wall next to her. Lucas reached over and flushed the toilet before he leaned down and picked Peyton up carefully, carrying her to her room.

"God I hate this." She said after Lucas had gotten her into bed. "I feel like an invalid."

Lucas sat down on the bed next to her, "You're just weak, besides don't you like having a handsome man at your service?" Lucas joked, smiling.

He leaned down for a kiss but Peyton covered her mouth, "I just threw up, and I know I have puke breath." She said.

Lucas reluctantly kissed her forehead, "Are you hungry?"

Peyton thought she was going to throw up at the thought of actually eating something, so she shook her head. "No, I'm not hungry."

"You should eat Peyton." Lucas said.

"Why? So I can watch and feel it come back up in ten minutes? No, I don't think so." Peyton said.

Lucas sighed and got up, retreating out of her bedroom. Peyton instantly felt bad for talking so harshly to him, "Wait, Lucas." She said before he got fully around the corner. She waited for him to return before she spoke up, "Listen I'm sorry for being so mean. I don't mean to; I guess it's just one of those days. I'm really sorry."

Lucas grabbed her hand, "It's okay, I understand. Why don't you get some sleep? I'll stay here with you." He said, sitting down in the chair they had moved next to her bed.

Peyton looked over at him with sad eyes, "Aren't you going to lay with me?"

Lucas smirked and laid down in the bed next to her. Peyton was almost instantly out cold, but it took Lucas awhile to get to sleep. His mind was running; this was a scary thing for anyone to deal with, but with both of Peyton's parents gone, he knew it was even more difficult for her to deal with; even if she won't admit it yet, he knew it was only time until she would finally breakdown. And he knew he'd have to be there for her.

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"Nathan?" Lucas said groggily as he opened his eyes. "How long have you been here?"

"About two hours. Peyton was in the bathroom throwing up as I came in so I've just been sitting her making sure she didn't need help."

"What time is it?"

"About seven." Nathan said, looking at his cell phone.

"Seven o'clock!?" Lucas was shocked. "I guess I've been staying up to make sure she's okay and I've been getting up when she's been throwing up all night. I didn't even hear her get up." He said, looking over at the sleeping figure of Peyton lying next to him.

"Yeah. I know man. But I just talked to Haley and she really wants to come by and see Peyton, so I told her it was okay. And she said when Peyton's ready she'll come over every night and tutor Peyton so she won't get behind."

"That's great. I bet Peyton will like that."

Keith was suddenly at the door, "I made dinner, why don't you come on down?"

Both boys got up and followed Keith down the stairs.

Haley was already seated at the table, eating. "Hi Lucas."

"Hi Haley." He said, sitting down to the right of her.

After everyone was seated and eating, Keith spoke up, "Your mom should be here in a few minutes Lucas. I think Deb is going to work in the mornings now so that Karen can stay here with Peyton during the day."

"And I'm going to see if Peyton wants me to tutor her so she doesn't get behind." Haley said smiling.

"I made Peyton some chicken noodle soup, why don't one of you guys go take this up to her?" Keith said as they finished eating.

"I'll do it." Haley said quickly.

"What are you so excited about?" Lucas asked.

"I just want to see Peyton." Haley smiled. "It's been so different without her sarcasm."

"Well she's not so sarcastic anymore." Lucas muttered.

Haley grabbed the bowl and carried it up to Peyton's room. Peyton was awake again and sitting up in bed.

"I was beginning to think I was alone in this house." Peyton said, smiling. "It's good to see you Haley." She said pulling Haley into a hug.

"I've missed you Peyton. Oh here, Keith made you soup." Haley said offering the bowl full of the warm liquid.

Peyton took it and carefully began sipping out of it.

"So what's new?"

"Not much, just school and the café and that's about it." Haley said quietly, sitting down in the chair. "But I was thinking that once you feel up to it, maybe I could start tutoring you; you know, so that you don't get behind."

Peyton stared at her for a minute, "I'd love that Haley. Thank you."

They talked for a few minutes before Peyton got up and rushed to the bathroom where she once again began puking. Haley followed her and lifted her hair up. After Peyton was done and was leaning against the floor, Haley tried to help her up; but she wasn't strong enough. She heard the boys coming up the stairs.

"Nate!" She called and almost instantly both boys were in the bathroom taking charge. Haley hung back and watched as Nathan picked Peyton up and carried her into her room. Tears quickly filled her eyes as she realized how real all of this suddenly was as Nathan held Peyton while Lucas pulled back the blankets and they laid her down. Haley quickly ran out of the room.

"Haley!" Nathan yelled after her, but she didn't stop running until she was on the front porch in tears and gasping for breath.

"Are you okay?" Nathan said from behind her.

She nodded, "It's just so real Nathan, I've never seen anyone so fragile and exhausted in my life. Why did this have to happen to her?"

Nathan pulled his wife into a hug, "I know it's hard to deal with Haley, I actually can't believe it either. But we all need to help her, she can't do it by herself. We're Peyton's friends and we love her. It'll be okay, but you also can't run away from it either. I'm not sure why it happened to her Hales, but we have to help her through it."

Haley nodded, "I know Nathan."

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Lucas groaned as the alarm clock went off. School.

He tried to get out of the bed without Peyton waking up, but Peyton was lying halfway on him. He slowly inched his way out from beneath her, but he found she was already awake.

"Hi." She whispered.

"Hi, sorry I woke you; I have to get ready for school. My mom's going to be here with you all day. Maybe the two of you can watch chick flicks today."
Peyton smirked, "Yeah, she'll watch them with me, since I can't get her son to."

Lucas quickly threw on some clothes, "I have to go, or I'll be late. Why don't you get some more sleep? Okay? I love you." He leaned down and kissed her on the forehead.

"Love you too." Peyton said before rolling over.

Lucas went to the kitchen where Nathan was waiting. "Are you ready to go?" He asked and Nathan nodded.

They both went out to his truck and got in.

The drive to the school was usually short, but it was a rough morning it seemed for both of them. Neither had been to school in three days and getting up early wasn't helping.

But as the two walked into the school, Nathan met up with Haley and Lucas continued on his way to his locker.

"Where is your girlfriend?" Someone asked from behind him.

As he turned around he felt anger rise within him, "I thought I told you not to talk to me again." He said.

But Brooke ignored him, "Did you and the blonde slut finally break up? Because you look like crap."

Lucas pushed her into the locker, "She's sick! Don't you get it, sick! Not the flu type either, the type of sick that if you don't get treatment you die, do you get it Brooke. Can you get that through your simple minded brain? You better get out of my sight. And if you say one more word I might actually hit you, and I don't think I'd regret it either." Lucas yelled in her face.

A look of regret flashed over Brooke's face, "What do you mean sick?"

Lucas started to walk away, "I'm not going to talk about this with you."

Brooke latched onto his arm, "No Lucas, seriously, what do you mean sick?" When Lucas didn't answer she continued, "She's my best friend Lucas, I need to know what's wrong with her."

Lucas laughed, "Best friend? Are you even listening to yourself Brooke? Because as far as I know you've treated Peyton like crap ever since we got back together. I definitely wouldn't call that a best friend; and you definitely don't deserve to know what's wrong with her. Just ignore her like you have for the last two months, you've been good at doing that." He said, before finally walking away.

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It had been a long day for Lucas as he trudged into Peyton's house after school.

"Hi honey." Karen said.

"Hi mom, where's Peyton?" He asked.

Karen pointed to the couch where Peyton was fast asleep on the couch, "She's been asleep for about two hours now."

"How's she feeling today?" He asked as he sat down next to Peyton on the couch.

"Better than the last few, she hasn't thrown up as much. But tonight is her next treatment. Do you mind taking her? I was going to go help Deb close up the café. I feel bad about throwing all of the work on her."

Lucas nodded, "Of course, we'll be fine."

He gently moved the hair off Peyton's face as she slept.

"Thanks Luke." Karen said, giving him a kiss on the forehead as she gathered her things.

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"So I kind of made a mistake today at school." Lucas admitted.

"What kind of mistake was that?" Peyton asked while she watched the medicine run down the tube as they sat in the hospital.

"I told Brooke that you were sick." He said, making Peyton look up.

"What?" She said.

"I didn't mean to, it just sort of slipped out while I was yelling at her today." He honestly looked like he felt bad and Peyton smiled gently, "It's okay Luke. I really don't think that Brooke is going to be running back and trying to be my friend just because I'm sick. Besides, I don't think I could ever forgive her for what she's said to me lately."

Lucas sighed, "I know Peyton. I wouldn't either."

He could tell that it was hurting for her to have to say that about Brooke. But it was true, Brooke had been very awful lately and unforgivable. He could only hope that Brooke wouldn't try to be in Peyton's life again, because it might make Peyton have to turn away her once best friend. And that wasn't going to happen without Peyton breaking, and now was not the time for her to do that.

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Next chapter: A conversation with Brooke and more side effects of chemo.

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Please review if you liked it; and if you didn't please review too. I wouldn't mind hearing your opinions and suggestions. They really do help.

: Stephanie.

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