"Peyton." The name came out of Lucas's mouth weakly. She couldn't help but turn around, she had heard him tell her that he hated her once, why not hear it again? But what he said wasn't that he hated her, but "I wish I could hate you." She was stunned at this

"What?" She asked

"I wish I could tell you I hate you, and mean it. I wish that I never left you three years ago. But most of all, I wish you would believe me when I say that I love you."

"I do believe you Luke, and I love you too." Peyton couldn't believe those words had just came out of her mouth. She couldn't even blame it on the alcohol, she had only had one drink.

"Then will you do me a favor?" Lucas asked.

"Anything." Peyton replied, again she couldn't believe what she was saying

"Stay with me." He said simply.

"Luke I can't I mean--"

"Please Peyton, just for tonight, just let me have tonight with you." He said, and she could see tears forming in his beautiful blue eyes.

"OK" and when she said this, his entire face perked up. She layed down next to him and he put his arms around her. She couldn't help but smile, this was the first time she had been in bed with the love of her life in three years. They drifted off to sleep together, both of them happier then they'd been in a long time.

Peyton woke up the next morning with a content sigh, although it felt great to wake up in Lucas's arms, she scolded herself for being so weak. She was trying to get over him, and by staying the night with him, she certainly wasn't doing herself any favors. She turned into his arms and watched him while he slept. He looked so peaceful, and she couldn't help but think that this was the way her life was supposed to be.

Deciding that the glimpse of her perfect life was over, Peyton got up and found her shoes. She went into his bathroom, fixed her hair, and found her jacket. She couldn't resist taking one last look at the love of her life before walking out the door. She knew that she shouldn't be leaving him like this, but she didn't think he would even remember last night. She convinced herself that by leaving she was saving them both the heartache of having to explain why they had been together.

She got into her car and drove home. Trying to be quiet, she walked in the door and took of her jacket.

"Don't even try to be sneaky Peyton! I know you're home!" She heard Brooke yell from the living room.

"Hey B. Davis." Peyton said with a sad smile as she sat down on the couch next to her best friend.

"And where were you last night young lady?"

"Well, I sorta stayed at Lucas's house last night."

"WHAT?!"

"Before you get your hopes up, it's nothing like that. He got wasted last night at TRIC, and I brought him home. Then, when we got there, her begged me to stay with him, and I didn't know how to say no."

"So did he remember this little exchange when you two woke up this morning?"

"Well, I really don't know. I kinda left before he woke up."

"Peyton! Why would you leave?" Brooke screamed, completely shocked by her friend's actions.

"I just didn't want him to wake up and regret the fact that I stayed there."

"That's a lie and you know it P. Sawyer, you know he wouldn't have regretted it for a second. You were just afraid that you wouldn't want to leave when he woke up huh?"

"Maybe." That was the only thing Peyton had to say. That was the only thing she had time to say, because just when she was about to say something else, they heard a knock on the door. There was no need for either of them to question who was there, they both knew it was Lucas. "Brooke, I don't know if I'm ready to see him yet." She said nervously.

"Don't be a baby P. You have to face him sooner or later."

"What if I choose later?"

"Sorry, babe. But that's not gonna happen."

"UHHH!! Brookie Monster, you're lucky I love you so much."

"And you're lucky Lucas loves you so much." Brooke's tone went from joking to serious in a second. Peyton was a little confused at the change in tone, but before she had any time to say anything about it, Brooke opened the door.

"Hey Pretty Girl, is Peyton here?"

"Yeah she is. Peyton!"

"Hey Luke." Peyton said akwardly, barely even making eye contact with him.

"Hey Peyton, do you think we could talk?"

"Yeah sure." They walked outside in pure akwardness.

"So I had a strange dream last night." Lucas said "It was kinda like dejavu, I was wasted at TRIC, you brought me home, and I said something that obviously changed us forever. And then the dream changed for the better, I asked you to stay with me, and much to both of our suprises, I'm sure, you said yes. But when I woke up this morning, there was no you, so tell me Peyton, was it really a dream? Or did you just leave?"

"It wasn't a dream, Luke. I stayed with you, but it doesn't change anything between us."

"Are you blind?!" Lucas said a little more angry then he intended. "I'm sorry Peyt. But, you know last night changed everything. You weren't drunk, you wanted to stay with me, you wanted us. Why won't you just admit it so we can move on together?"

"Fine Luke, I did want to stay, I can't just turn that off. But I left this morning for a reason, I didn't want you to get the wrong idea about us, which obviously you did."

"So you just left?"

"It sucks to wake up all alone when you expect the one you love to be there doesn't it?"

"Is that what this is about? Peyton, I've told you a million times, I'm sorry for leaving you three years ago, OK? But you can't let our past stop us from having a future. I love you and you need to know that. From the bottom of my heart I mean that, and if you'll let me, I want to spend the rest of my life proving it to you. But you have to let me in Peyton, you have to let your guard down."

"You mean like I did last time? Yeah look where that got me."

"I'm sorry Peyton, I don't think you'll ever know just how sorry I am. But you have a decision to make, me or fear. You can forget our past, and we could focus on our future, or you can run. Either way, I'll wait for you. I promise you that, I'll wait for you, forever if I have to." With that Lucas walked to his car and drove away.

Peyton just stood there thinking about the man she loved. Thoughts of their past were flooding through her mind.

"That's me inside your head."

"Brooke's great, but she isn't you."

"It's always gonna be there isn't it, you and me?"

"It's you, the one I want next to me when all of my dream come true, it's you."

"You didn't push me away, I came back for you, and no matter how long it takes I'll wait for you."

"How would you like to just be happy?"

Hearing the words of the man she loved, made her decision pretty clear. It was time to take a chance on love, maybe they would get hurt, but maybe it would all be worth it in the end. She got into her car and drove as fast as she could to Lucas's house. When she got there, she took a deep breath and knocked on the door.

"Come in." Lucas said not paying any attention to who was at his door. He was busy working on his lap top, ever since he confessed his feelings to Peyton he had a rush of inspiration, and was writing every chance he could.

"Hey Luke." Peyton said shyly as she walked through the door.

"Peyton? Hey, what are you doing here?"

"Did you mean it? When you said you would wait for me? Because, you said that to me before, Luke, and that didn't last very long."

"Yes I meant it. And I know I didn't wait for you last time, but I was scared. I was just as scared as you were, if not more. I know I broke your heart when I walked out on you three years ago, but I broke my own too. And I don't want to feel like that anymore, I just want it all to go away. I wanna be with the woman I love, I just want a fairy tale ending ya know?"

"Yeah I know." Peyton said with a little smile. For a while, they just sat there taking each other's presence in. Lucas couldn't take not knowing anymore, he had to ask her why she had come.

"So Peyton, why are you here?"

"To be honest, I'm not really sure. I guess part of me wanted to know if you really meant what you said or if it was just a line." She said lying. She had lost all of the courage she had before. Now she just wanted to get out of there, go home, put on some loud music, and draw.

"Oh." Lucas was dissapointed to say the least. "Well I did mean it Peyt, I'm gonna love you forever, and I will wait for you. I know I said that before, but this time I'll keep my promise. I'll wait."

Hearing those words seemed to have given her all of her courage back. She needed to know that he wasn't lying to her. She needed to feel the love in his heart, and finally, she did. Peyton walked up to him with a strange expression on her face. And then she spoke, "I think we've waited long enough." Those words were so familiar to them both, they were the words she had spoken in the hallway senior year not too long after he had first told her he loved her. She smiled as they leaned in and their lips met for a simple, yet passionate kiss.

They pulled away, and Lucas looked into her beautiful green eyes. "I love you Peyton Elizabeth Sawyer."

"I love you too, Lucas Scott." They smiled at each other before going in for another kiss. This one, unlike the last, was deep and heated. It felt so good to be together again, and maybe all of their problems weren't solved, but now they could face them together. Lucas and Peyton both felt like they were in high school again, a feeling they had both missed a huge amount.

Lucas layed Peyton down on the bed, and continued to kiss her. Pretty soon, clothes were shed, and Lucas and Peyton made love for the first time in over three years. After, they just lye there enjoying each other's company.

"That was amazing Peyt." He said with a smile

"Yeah it was." Then, her phone started vibrating and Peyton looked at who was calling. "Oh no, that's Haley, I was supposed to meet her at TRIC over an hour ago." She answered the phone. "Hey, yeah yeah sorry I got caught up drawing." She lied. Lucas looked down when she said this, why couldn't she just tell Haley they were back together this time forever? "Yeah I'll be there in a few, OK, bye." She hung up the phone "Sorry Luke, but I gotta go." She gave him a soft kiss on the lips and before he could say anything else, she was picking up her clothes and walking into the bathroom to change.

She drove to TRIC and when she got there, both Haley and Brooke were there. "Hey Hales, Brooke what are you doing here?"

"Well you never came back from your little talk with Lucas, and I got worried. So I came here, thinking you might have come here and I ran into Haley. So where were you P. Sawyer?"

"Oh, ya know, around?" Peyton lied.

"Yeah around, as in around Lucas's bed?" Brooke said with a laugh.

"How can you tell?"

"Well first of all I'm Brooke Davis and I know all. Second, your hair is a mess, and your shirt is inside out. Oh yeah and maybe that huge hickey on your neck." Brooke and Haley burst out laughing at this.

"OK, OK, so we slept together."

"So does this mean you two are back together?" Haley asked hopefully.

"Honestly, I'm not sure." Once again her phone started to vibrate, she couldn't help but smile when she saw Lucas's name on the screen. She flipped her phone open and began to speak. "Hello?"

"Hey it's me, I've got two tickets to Las Vegas. Do you want to get married tonight?"

"Do I want to what?"

"Get married Peyton, you and me. Please say yes, I don't think my heart could take another someday, or worse, a no."

"Yes." She said it before she could stop herself, but she was suprised when she didn't regret it, not in the slightest. She wanted this, she always had, and now she was finally going to get it.

"Yes? oh my god, I love you Peyton. Meet me at the airport in an hour OK?"

"OK, and Luke, I love you."

"I love you too Peyton."

Peyton didn't even hang up, she just dropped her phone on the ground. Before he hung up the phone he could hear Peyton yell, "Brooke, Haley Lucas asked me to marry him!" And then he could hear all three girls screaming and giggling. All of his fears that Peyton didn't want people to know they were together vanished with that simple statement. He smiled before hanging up the phone and began to pack for their trip

MEANWHILE

"He did what?" Brooke and Haley asked at the same time.

"He asked me to go to Las Vegas with him tonight and marry him, and I'm gonna do it."

"Oh Peyton, we are so happy for you!!"

"Thanks Hales, But I've got to go, I need to pack." Peyton left TRIC, and drove to the house she and Brooke shared. She grabbed clothes, and drove to the airport. When she got there, she saw the love of her life, standing there in ripped jeans and a long sleeve white shirt.

"Peyton..." That was all he could say when she reached him. He then scooped her up in his arms and kissed her.

"I love you Lucas, and I can't wait to be your wife."

"Peyton Scott, I like the sound of that."

"Me too." They both smiled and kissed again. Then from behinf them they heard a familar voice.

"Oh get a room!" It was Brooke, next to her stood Haley, Nathan, Skills, Mouth, and Millicent.

"What are you guys doing here?" Peyton asked suprised.

"We wouldn't miss this day for the world." Haley said with a small smile

"Yeah it's about time you two stopped acting like idiots, and got married."

"Funny Nate, really." Lucas said sarcastically but couldn't help but to laugh along with the others.

"So let's do this!!" Skills yelled as they all ran to the gate, leaving Lucas and Peyton behind. Lucas couldn't read the look on Peyton's face, was she happy? Or was she regretting her decision to come? Peyton noticed the worried look on Lucas's face and took his hand and kissed him.

"Yeah, let's do this Lucas Scott." They walked to the gate together hand in hand ready for their adventure in Vegas, and ready for the rest of their lives together.

So there it is. I don't know if I'm going to call this fanfic complete yet. I still would love to hear what you guys think so reviews would be very helpful. Do you guys think I should write about Vegas or just leave it here? Tell me what you think.

Lucas and Peyton, true love always.