A/N : No excuses, sorry for the delay, just lost my muse. But it's back. And you get a longer chapter !

A week later

Peyton couldn't stop recalling the evening. Lucas' jealousy, his declaration. She had been taken aback by what he had said.

He was going to fight for her?

What did he even mean? If fight for her was stalking her and force himself into her life, it wasn't going to work for her.

At all. Since that night, he hadn't done anything special, except smile at her every time their eyes met. He was completely professional though, he didn't try to touch her or seduce her, he just had some trouble to keep his nerves when the mail man was flirting with her.

And she pretty liked it when he got jealous. So every time he watched her, she would a man wandering in the hall and start talking to him, laugh or even place her hand on his chest.

They were supposed to fly to Los Angeles in a matter of days for a fashion show and she had to take the same plane that him. She was hoping Brooke could sit in between them but unfortunately Nathan was going with them so he got to sit next to her. Damn him (even though she loved Nathan).

They were going to sit next to another for five hours, just great, perfect, marvelous. Fuck.

As usual, Peyton had troubles to get up that morning. She wanted to stay all day in bed, not go to freaking Los Angeles.

And as usual, Haley came barking through the door to wake her up, most of the time. It was as though her best friend lived with her.

"Peyton!" Haley shouted down the hall, not surprised to see the blinds still shut as she stepped into Peyton's bedroom.

"Go away," Peyton mumbled as she pulled her pillow over her head.

"Not a chance," Haley said. "Plus I've got someone here for you."

"If it's the mail man again who thinks I'm into him, you tell him to go the fuck away before I slap him across the face."

"Nice to see you too little Sis'," Peyton heard and her eyes widened as she threw the pillow to the side and hopped of the bed in a matter of seconds.

"Derek!" she said excitedly as she launched herself into his arms so hard that Derek stumbled a little. "What are you doing here?" she said, pulling back, her eyes glinting.

"I have a day off and we're in New York so...I wanted to pay a visit to my sister."

"What didn't you call?"

"Well...Surprise." Derek said as he rubbed the back of his neck. Peyton couldn't help but notice that Lucas was doing the exact same thing when he was nervous.

"I'm so glad to see you but I work today. And I have to go to Los Angeles tonight." Peyton said sadly.

Derek shrugged. "We still can have lunch together."

Peyton turned to Haley. "Don't worry about it Peyt, we can have lunch together another time." Peyton smiled to her best friend gratefully and turned back to Derek.

"Great. Why don't you walk me to work and come back to pick me up at lunch time."

"Sounds good." Derek said as he started to walk down the hall way along with Peyton and Haley. "So, Haley told me about that crush on your boss,"

Peyton groaned and threw her head backwards.

Couldn't they stop talking about that?

Lucas knocked onto his brother and friend's apartment door, tapping the ground with his foot loudly when they didn't come soon enough. He was in a bad mood already, Julian had once again called to see if Peyton would be interested to figure in his new movie. He had had enough of this jackass.

Finally, after a few minutes, Nathan's head popped through the barely opened door. "Hey Luke, what's up?" Nathan asked.

"Hey, um...Can I come in?"

"Well, I'm a little under dressed."

"What...Oh!" Lucas realized he had interrupted the couple in their private activities. "Ew, guys, at nine in the morning?"

"Luke, if Peyton was in your bed, wouldn't you take all the advantage you get?"

Lucas thought for a moment. "Yeah, probably. Anyway, can you tell your other half that she needs to be at the company in half an hour so we decide some things for the trip?"

"Yeah, after she spends three hours packing hers."

Lucas nodded. "Right. Well tell her to be there in an hour. If you can stand a whole day without having sex."

Nathan shrugged. "That's alright, we've always wanted to do it in the plane's cabin."

Lucas closed his eyes and let out a breath. "Just the image I wanted to be stuck in me head for the entire day. Thanks a lot Nate."

"My pleasure," Nathan bit out sarcastically before closing the door when Lucas walked away.

"So then, Brooke told me she might have a job for me and she just had to talk with her partner, Lucas." Peyton told Derek as they walked down a street in the direction of Brooke and Lucas' company.

"That's great. I'm proud of you Sis'," Derek said with a smile as he leaned in and kissed Peyton's temple.

"Thank you," Peyton said as she snuggled closer to Derek and rested her head onto his shoulder and his arm wrapped around her slender shoulders.

"So, LA, huh?"

"Yeah, it's going to be nice."

They arrived in front of the building just at the same time as Lucas. Peyton closed her eyes and sighed, fate was really a bitch.

Lucas could feel his anger rise as he saw the man's arm wrapped around the girl's shoulders. He marched toward them and swallowed.

"Hey Peyton," he greeted, narrowing his eyes at Derek.

"Hi Luke. Derek, this is Lucas Scott, my boss," Derek extended his hand which Lucas hesitantly shook. "Lucas, this is Derek Sommers, my brother."

Idiot. "Oh," Lucas sighed almost in relief. He then smiled slightly. "Nice to meet you."

"Likewise," Derek said politely. He then turned to his sister. "Lunch?"

"Yep." She lifted herself onto her tip toes and dropped a kiss to his cheek. "See you later."

Derek walked away and the two blondes were left alone. Lucas shifted in his weight and dug his hands into his pockets as Peyton bit down on her bottom lip.

Talk about awkward.

The day had gone smoothly for Lucas and Peyton. They didn't avoid each other, which was a good thing, he wasn't too much on her tail either.

They were at the airport, quietly waiting at the boarding gate, Nathan and Brooke just before them. The soon-to-be married couple had been kissing for a while now and Peyton was getting really annoyed, especially when she had no one to talk to and Lucas' eyes were traveling over her body.

"Hey, public place people." Peyton whispered at Nathan and Brooke who pulled apart.

"You jealous Sawyer?" Nathan asked, kinking a brow. Nathan and Peyton had pretty much bonded these last weeks and Nathan had rapidly given her a nickname.

Peyton scoffed. "No," she said, rolling her eyes.

"If by any chance, you wanted to be kissed, I'm sure Lucas would be glad to accomplish the task."

"Nathan!" Brooke said, swatting her fiancé's chest.

"What? It's true, look at them," Nathan said, referring to Lucas and Peyton who happened to be blushing.

"Cut it Nate." Lucas said coldly as he glared at his brother. Nathan lifted his hands in front of him and then turned his attention back to the brunette next to him. After checking Nathan wasn't heave dropping anymore, Lucas turned to Peyton, his hand gently laying onto her upper arm. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be. It's fine, he was just messing around." Peyton said with a slight smile. Lucas took the opportunity to let his hand linger on her smooth skin for a few seconds and then let it drop to his side.

"Welcome to JFK airport, do you have a flight booked?"

"Yes, I made the reservation a week ago. Nathan Scott." Nathan replied. "Brooke Davis, Peyton Sawyer and Lucas Scott."

The young woman shuffled through her computer and looked up. "Okay, you are booked in first class."

"Um, Nathan," Peyton called, tapping him on the shoulder. The brunette turned around. "Maybe you thought so but I can't afford a first class ticket."

"I'll pay yours," Lucas blurted out, causing Brooke to raise an eyebrow, Nathan to turn his laugh (after seeing Peyton's face) into a caugh.

"Don't. I'll go in second class."

"I'll pay your ticket." Lucas repeated, pulling out his credit card.

"Fine," Peyton grumbled. She hated charity, especially coming from Lucas.

2 hours later

The four of them sat next to each other. Nathan and Brooke on one side, Lucas and Peyton on the other. Nathan was whispering things into Brooke's ear, making her giggle while Peyton read a magazine and Lucas a book (what else?).

"Um, guys," Nathan called out and both blondes looked up. "We're gonna be right there for a while." Nathan took Brooke's hands and they walked toward the end of the place. As soon as they were out of ear shot, Peyton rolled her eyes.

"Ew, I don't even wanna know what's going on out there."

"Yeah, believe me, you better not. I have the image stuck in my head."

"What, they told you?" Peyton said, an amused smile playing on her perfectly shaped lips.

"Nathan did, sort of. I really don't want to talk about Brooke and my brother and whatever they're doing right now."

"Fair enough."

Los Angeles

After leaving the airport, the four of them went to the hotel. Well, at least that's what they were supposed to do, until Nathan realized he hadn't booked any.

"That's great Nathan. Where are we going to sleep?" Brooke shouted.

"We'll find something. Here, there's a hotel across the street, it looks nice."

"I really hope they have rooms. Otherwise no luck for you tonight." Brooke threatened as she crossed the street in a derteminate pace.

Peyton stifled a laugh and Lucas looked over at her as they walked behing the couple. "What?" he asked, amused.

"Nothing, I just love feisty Brooke."

They walked into the hotel and headed to the desk. After a glare from Brooke, Nathan walked ahead.

"Hi, I'm Nathan Scott and I was wondering if you had two rooms for tonight. One with one bed and the other with two."

"I only have two with two beds." the woman said after a look at her computer.

Peyton walked the few steps to the desk. "Are you sure you don't have one with two beds?" she said desperately, producing the best puppy eyes she could.

"Nope, I double checked. I'm sorry."

Peyton groaned and threw her head backwards beofre looking at Lucas. "You need to behave yourself."

Lucas held up his hands. "I won't do anything."

"Well, the bedroom with only one bed it is."

Half an hour later, Peyton was changed into her pajamas and ready to go to bed. When she came out of the bathroom, her eyes set on Lucas, lying on the bed, typing on his lap top, shirtless.

She sucked in a breath and shook her head for any delusionnal thought that might enter her mind.

"What are you typing?" she asked curiously, flopping down on the bed next to him.

Goodness, he smelt really good.

"Um...Just something I've been writing. A sort of book." he said embarrassely as he rubbed the nape of his neck.

"A book?" Peyton asked, her eyebrows shooting up in surprise. Lucas nodded. "That's pretty great."

"Yeah..." Once again (looks like they had got used to it), an awkward silence settled in the room. "Oh! I got you something." Lucas remembered as he set his laptop on the side and stood up, grabbing his bag.

"What is it?" Peyton asked curiously, standing up as well. Lucas smiled and pulled out a record.

"I came across it and I remembered he was your favorite artist, so I thought you'd like it,"

He handed her the record and Peyton grinned as her eyes widened.

"How did you get this, it's the first album. I didn't find it anywhere." She exclaimed as she held up the first album of Elvis Costello, My Aim Is True.

Lucas shrugged. "Let's say that I have some connections."

Before she could control it, she had taken the few steps separating them and wrapped her arms around him.

"Thanks Luke,"

Being hugged by his crush and hear the shorten version of his name got his heart race as he tried to control every part of his body.

"You're welcome." They pulled apart and cleared their throat simultaneously. "We should probably get some sleep."

"Yeah, you're right." She watched on as he took one of the cushions of the bed and put it on the floor. "What are you doing?"

Lucas stopped his actions. "Hum, sleeping on the floor?"

"Don't be stupid. We can sleep in the same bed. Just...stay on your side."

They both slipped under the covers and switched off the light. Peyton's breathing rapidly steadied and Lucas, who was lying on his back and staring at the ceiling knew she had fallen asleep.

"Luke?"

Maybe not.

Upon hearing her whisper his name, he turned his head to her back. "Yeah?"

"Don't take this as an invitation," Peyton warned. "But I'm a little cold so can you get closer?"

Lucas didn't answer anything but he swore his heart flipped as he listened to Peyton's words. Without any hesitation, he snuggled closer to her so her back was against her chest. His arm automatically wrapped itself around her mid section.

"Thanks."

Peyton hadn't slept that well in ages.

Maybe it would simpler than he thought after all.