Peyton let herself into Brooke Davis' office, side stepping round some half dressed mannequins to get to the comfy leather chair.

'That's gorgeous' She murmured, fingering a silky green dress as she past.

'Uhuh, designed just for you' Brooke winked up from the papers sprawled out on her desk, noting the blonde's lit up eyes. 'It's your premier dress for Ravens' She elaborated.

'Brooke it's not even in post production yet' Peyton laughed.

'I was inspired' The designer shrugged a shoulder indifferently. 'So slut...' She kinked an eyebrow, a tormenting smirk curling her red painted lips. 'I hear you're sleeping with Nathan Scott?' She tossed the offending newspaper across the room at a suddenly sulking Peyton. 'You know you better watch yourself, Haley James Scott is fierce-'

'Oh my god, is she mad?'

Brooke frowned, averting her eyes back to the concerned girl, apparently confused by her distress. These displays in actual emotion were becoming less of a rarity in her presence, something Brooke was adjusting to slowly; her ice queen really was melting. 'Er, I was joking' She droned. 'I know you're not fucking Nate. You're not fucking Nate right? Cause I might have to kill you if-'

'No!' Peyton cried. 'I was with Lucas' She prodded her finger at the stunned face of Lucas Scott, who was apparently not worthy of being mentioned in the article, the main focus being on the star basket ball player's hook up with the famous model.

'I know and I heard things were going just peachy until you bailed' Brooke laughed.

'I didn't fancy being mauled by the paparazzi okay?'

'But you had Lucas Scott there to protect you' She said dramatically.

'Don't start' Peyton whined. Lucas wasn't returning her calls and was clearly less than impressed at being walked out on. 'I'm here to work'

'Uhuh. I'm aware. As your boss it's my job to interfere with your personal life though'

'As your employee, it's my job to tell you to keep your nose out of my fucking business'

'Honey, you're sleeping with one of my best friends, that's not going to happen' She enlightened her matter of factly.

Peyton groaned exaggeratedly, slouching further down into the leather seat.

'If it makes you feel any better, Nate really liked you'

Peyton's interest peaked, her stare leaving her hands. 'He said that?'

'Well, he apparently told Hales that you were pretty cool' Brooke teased. 'I put her right'

'Bitch!' Peyton exclaimed.

'Whore' Brooke spat back, the both of them grinning mischievously.

'Not that it matters what Luke's brother thinks of me, considering Luke hates me' Peyton sighed a moment later, returning to wallowing in self pity.

'Lucas doesn't hate you, he just wants to be with you Peyton, without all the shit that comes with it'

'I know, but I can't stop that, it comes with me'

'You don't have to hide your relationship from the world'

'Brooke I've never' She looked down in humiliation. 'I've never had a relationship, it's destined for disaster if I flaunt it everywhere'

'I'm not telling you to flaunt it, but imagine how it must seem to Luke, he thinks you're ashamed to be seen with him'

'It's not that-'

'I know it's not, but he doesn't'

Peyton dropped her head into her hands, 'God he should just look for someone else, he could do so much better-'

'I've told him that' Brooke interrupted nonchalantly, earning a glower from the riled blonde. 'He's hell bent on your skinny ass for reasons unbeknown to me'

Peyton reached for the nearest object, tossing a hanger in the chirpy brunettes direction.

Brooke sprung from her desk to avoid being speared by the flying object.

'Really not helping' Peyton murmured.

Brooke laughed, joining her on the leather two seat. 'Why don't you take a few days off?'

'What?' Peyton's head snapped up. 'I've got work'

'Well I just gave you a paid holiday'

'Brooke' Peyton contended. 'I-'

'I've got two tickets to Tree Hill, I was going to take Julian there but we're both too busy with work at the minute-'

'Brooke seriously, I'm fine I don't need to go anywhere-'

'I'm ordering you to go, I've already passed it by Julian, he said he can spare Lucas for a few days-'

'Wait, you want me to go away with Lucas?' Her eyes had grown excessively in the last few seconds.

Brooke nodded slowly, a patronising smirk gracing her lips. 'That's the idea'

'Did you not just hear the bit about him hating me?'

'I thought we just clarified that he doesn't hate you'

'No'

'No?'

'No way. Going away together, that's like... serious'

'Jesus, you've been together nearly three months, it's hardly out of this world to want to spend some time alone together'

'We've been together two days Brooke, two days and I hate to break it to you but so far, not going so well' Peyton felt obliged to correct her.

'Officially two days. Non officially, three months' Brooke protested. 'And things are going to be going just swimmingly when you turn up at his place with these' She produced two tempting tickets from her bag, holding them under the blondes' nose. 'You're going to love Tree Hill, it's beautiful and a one hundred percent guaranteed paparazzi free zone'

Peyton worried her bottom lip, clammy hands clenching together as she stared at the black door with a gold painted number 12 fixed in the centre. She briefly wondered about the strange coincidence that his apartment number was the same as her birthday, not that he knew that. Her mind continued to drift as she wondered when his own birthday was to what his middle name was, to the painful details of the murder his father had committed. She found herself surprisingly anxious to find out all of the specifics regarding all things Lucas Scott. Which was perhaps the thought that drove her little bawled fist to raise and wrap against the black wood.

It didn't take long for him to answer.

Her eyes mechanically swept down him. He was wearing some sweatpants and a crumpled white tee that she was quick to assume he'd slept in.

'Hey' She greeted sheepishly.

He didn't respond, he turned around leaving her in the doorway.

'Okay' She hesitantly followed him into the apartment. 'You're upset' She stated obviously.

'Not upset, I'm fine'

'No, you're upset' She disagreed.

'I'm fine' He forced a bright, insincere smile.

'I'm, I'm sorry okay?' She exhaled heavily through her nose, apologising wasn't something she found herself doing all that often and it didn't come easily.

'For what exactly?'

She scowled. She appreciated that he was upset but his feigned nonchalance was starting to annoy her. 'For last night' She snapped. 'I'm sorry I just left. I'm sorry I left you there and I'm just, I'm sorry' She blurted, her hands wavering expressively in front of her.

'Oh, that' He shrugged. 'No big deal'

'Well it clearly is considering you've been dodging my calls all day!' She exclaimed. 'It's not entirely my fault okay? You don't know what it's like. You've not lived with it for your whole life'

'I'm quite aware. I can't even begin to imagine what it's like and it actually angers me more than you know, that you have to deal with that but we could've left together, you didn't have to storm out'

'I did!'

He nodded glumly. 'Right, because you can't be seen with someone like me'

Her eyes widened. Brooke's assumptions were clearly very much accurate. 'That's not it, that's so not it' She cried loudly. 'Lucas, I-I...' She trailed off, raking her hand through her tresses of curls. 'Is it so wrong for me wanting to protect you, for me wanting to protect this' She gestured between them with a heavy sigh. 'They already have so much influence over what people think of me. They have so much power and I just, I don't want them to have this, it's, it's just ours' She confessed, her voice wavering. Lucas watched her, certain that she was on the verge of tears, something he most definitely didn't want to witness, especially if he was the cause.

'I'm sorry' He husked, his hand curling around her smaller fist in understanding. 'You're right' She lent into his inviting chest, the warmth of his body soothing her tense form.

She could hear his heart thrumming softly through his t-shirt.

'You can't get it back, once you enter the world of celebrity you'll never be able to have this life that you have back. You have to decide if you want it' She stressed. She wouldn't be the person to take away his serene life, to end what he knew of the word privacy. She considered what he had as far too precious. 'I'm not ashamed to be seen with you' She whispered against him. 'You know that right? I don't think I'm better than you Lucas' She shook her head vigorously to get her point across. 'You, you're so much better than me'

He snorted. 'Now you're just talking nonsense' He rubbed her back.

'I'm not' She tilted her head to look up at him. 'You, you intimidate me'

'I intimidate you?' He squinted disbelievingly at her. 'You're fucking Peyton Wolf!'

'So? You're so smart' She fired back. 'And confident and self assured and, and beautiful'

'You think I'm beautiful?' He grinned boyishly down at her.

'I'm being serious'

'I know' His smirk softened and he cupped her cheeks. 'I'm sorry, it's just you're insane, because you just described yourself to me' His thumbs followed her pronounced cheek bones.

'No, I'm just a model Lucas'

'No' He shook his head.

'Okay you're delusional if you hadn't noticed what I do for a living yet' She frowned.

He rolled his eyes at her sarcastic drawl. 'I'm well aware of what you do for a living sweetheart. What I meant was that, that's the last thing I think of when I'm thinking of you. You're so much more than just a model' He declared sincerely.

Her eyes flickered to her hands that were fiddling with his shirt, eager to avoid that intense stare he was giving her again. She thought, that perhaps no one had ever said anything quite so nice to her before.

Her lack of eye contact meant that his kiss came as a bit of a surprise. She reflexively stumbled backward but his large hands at her hips kept her steady.

It was like no other kiss she'd experienced. She'd be lying if she didn't say that all of Lucas' kisses left her light headed and all together weak at the knees but this kiss, this was on a completely different level of amazing. It was sweet yes, sexy as hell, yes but there was also something else that she found completely disarming and endearing at the same time. It was painfully slow and deliberate. With every caress of their tongues entwining he managed to convey his utter devotion to her.

Just kissing was still something she was getting use to. Usually when she kissed someone it was with every intention of going somewhere else entirely. Clothes would be ripped off. Kisses dissociated with sex were something new entirely.

Her eyes stayed firmly shut when he eventually pulled away. Her body was thrumming from head to foot and she shuddered irrepressibly as his thumb intently brushed over her swollen bottom lip.

He smiled successfully at her evidently aghast state because it was clear that she felt everything that he did and although he knew she was in no shape or form ready to hear it or say it herself, seeing it was enough. For now anyway.

She took a little step back, eyes finally functioning as she cleared her throat, dismissing the unmistakable pull that was urging her to reunite their parted bodies.

She scratched an imaginary itch on her forehead before rifling through the handbag that was somehow still situated on her shoulder.

'Brooke's given me some time off' She divulged, breaking the awkward silence.

'Really?' He asked in surprise. He knew, although the brunette was yet to admit it, that she was becoming quite fond of Peyton Wolf, but he wasn't aware that she was now on a basis that granted holidays.

'Well more demanded actually'

Lucas' brow furrowed in thought, he fleetingly wondered if that was Brooke's polite way of firing his girlfriend. He shook his head. She wouldn't do that.

'She gave me these'

He looked down at her outstretched hands, taking the papers to inspect.

She watched as the contents in his hands, registered on his bewildered face, eyes glinting with excitement. 'She gave you these?'

'Yeah' Peyton shifted her weight nervously. 'She, she said something about her and Julian not being able to use them or something and that maybe we should go cause they'll go to waste otherwise and Julian is fine about you having a few days away apparently, according to Brooke-'

He cut off her rambled explanation, hugging her tightly. 'Thank you'

'Don't thank me' Peyton mumbled, breathlessly, constrained within his tight hold. 'All Brooke'

'Thank you Brooke' He muttered, making a silent note to send his friend a huge bunch of flowers. He couldn't have asked for anything better. A trip home to see his family, with Peyton. 'You're going to love it' He released his tight hold, holding her at arms length now.

She nodded gingerly.

'You know what this means though right?' He raised his brow tauntingly, toying with the bottom of her shirt.

'I know' She sighed resignedly.

'And you're okay with that?'

She took a deep breath. 'No mother can be harder to handle than mine, I'm sure I can survive yours and how hard can a cute little girl be?'

'Luke is here! Luke is here! Luke is here!'

'Whoa' Peyton muttered, looking up at the house with sudden horror.

'That painfully loud, high pitch screeching?' The front door burst open. 'Yep' Lucas confirmed Peyton's thoughts. 'That's what you've been referring to as the cute little girl'

Lily Roe Scott bounded down the porch steps and flew across the front lawn in record time. 'Luke!'

Peyton watched as a natural wide grin formed on his face and he crouched down as her little form bounded into him. 'Hey munchkin' He effortlessly lifted her up.

'You're here!'

'I'm here' He chuckled, rubbing her nose in an Eskimo kiss.

'Nate said you weren't coming back ever again and that he should be my favourite brother'

'He did, did he?'

'Uhuh'

'He was just playing with you Lil, you think I'd really never come visit my favourite sister?'

She smiled. 'I am cool'

'Yes, you are' He laughed.

'You're still my favourite Luke' She whispered. He held his hand up and she obliged by slapping it with a pact making high five. It was only then that the five year old's inquisitive brown eyes landed upon the stranger that was hovering awkwardly behind them.

'Lil, this is Peyton' Lucas introduced.

Peyton responded with a little smile and a wave of the hand. She'd never really been around children and this little girl was currently unsettling her more than she was letting on. 'Hi Lily'

'Hello' Lily's mischievous little face turned back to Lucas. 'Is she your girlfriend?'

'Well nosy' He set her back down on the ground. 'Actually, yes' He tapped the button shaped nose, so similar to his own. She giggled delightedly before racing up to the house to go inform her mother of this news.

'Sorry' He regarded Peyton. 'She's a bit hyper'

'She is really cute' Peyton affirmed.

She was more relaxed than either one of them had anticipated. The whole journey in actual fact had been nothing but calm. She'd met him separately at the airport to avoid being captured together. But as soon as they'd left New York, they'd left the media and paparazzi behind, just as Brooke had assured her and she was finding this whole new experience to be nothing but enjoyable. So much so, that the prospect of meeting his mother and sister was now seeming to be a walk in the park. Of course she was nervous but she wasn't on edge and in fear of some car pulling up and stepping foot onto this family's property all to get a shot of her.

'You ready?'

'Mhm'

'I know you're tired, we won't stay long, I just want to say hi before we go to mine'

She eyed the house that he'd grown up in.

'It's quite small, well, in comparison with what you're use to anyway' He spoke as they walked up the path.

'Lucas' She scorned. 'It's beautiful'

'Yeah' He agreed. 'I'm kind of fond of it' He ushered her through the open door.

'See Mumma!' Lily exclaimed. 'I told you so'

'Yes you did. Now for the hundredth time go tidy your toys up and pyjamas on' Karen sternly shooed her out of the kitchen, her eyes meeting her visitors in an apologetic gaze.

'Hey Mum' Lucas greeted adoringly.

'Luke' Karen embraced him tightly. 'My baby boy'

He grimaced at her embarrassingly loud coo. 'Okay mum' He struggled to unravel himself from her fierce hug, quickly turning his attention to Peyton. 'Mum this is-'

'You must be Peyton, it's nice to meet you sweetie'

It didn't surprise Lucas in the slightest that his mother had already been well informed about Peyton. Apparently none of his friends could keep their mouths shut and Haley could no doubt help but gossiping to his mother about his personal life.

'I'm sorry that this is kind of an unannounced visit' He spoke, trying to tear his mother's burning gaze away from Peyton.

'Nonsense, I've missed you, you know you could learn to pick up the phone once in a while Lucas' She reprimanded.

'Right' He nodded guiltily. 'Sorry, things have just been a bit hectic'

'So I've heard. Had I known you were coming I would have stopped by your house and given it a bit of tidy'

Lucas shook his head. 'I'm glad I didn't ring then'

'I'm going to apologise on his behalf Peyton- his house is a tip-'

Peyton smiled.

'Gees Mum it's not that bad. I was moving, so everything's a little disorganised and bare'

'Sounds familiar' Peyton nudged him in the side. 'Lucas only unpacked his apartment recently'

Karen shook her head in despair. 'When he lived here he was always so tidy, I never had to clear up after him, all that seems to have gone to pot since he left home'

'Moth-er' Lucas whined emphatically. 'As lovely as this is, we're going to go now' He informed her.

Karen laughed at his obvious embarrassment.

'We'll do something tomorrow? Maybe dinner with you, Haley and Nate?'

'Yes, I'll speak to you in the morning. Shall I give you some clean bed sheets-'

'No' Lucas groaned. 'God, you're making it sound like my house is a squat' He grabbed Peyton's hand. 'Goodbye'

Peyton smiled at Karen over her shoulder. 'It was nice to meet you'

'You too honey, we'll speak properly tomorrow'

Lucas had her out the door before she could respond. 'You're free to get on the next flight back to New York' He grumbled.

'No way, I want to see this squat of yours'

'This is my favourite place'

Peyton screwed up her eyes in the dusk light. 'In the world?' She yawned, her nose turned up as she looked around the sparse court that he'd insisted upon stopping at.

'Hey, don't ever slam the river court' He warned proudly.

She chuckled, hands held in the air in peace. 'I'll just be over here' She sunk onto the bleachers, smiling deviously as she watched him focus fully on a shabby, abandoned basket ball. She swallowed all her teasing remarks when he began to dribble the ball speedily across the court though. She'd not been able to envision him playing before but now, seeing him right before her, it seemed so natural. He leaped through the air, gliding agilely and she really lost her breath when his overheated body meant him taking his shirt off just seconds later. He winked at her, then tossed her the sweaty item. She pretended to be disgusted but he wasn't blind to her blatant gawking, especially when he dunked three balls in succession and she had clear view of his suddenly more than prominent athletic physic.

He jogged over to her after a while, panting.

'Are you done showing off?'

He smirked. 'Are you done goggling at the goods?' He wriggled his eyebrows at her as he straddled the bleacher.

She inadvertently followed his gesturing hands, eyes skimming over his well defined torso once more.

'You know you're really quite fit' She informed him.

'You sound surprised' He laughed.

She swung her leg over the bench, imitating his position, only settling her legs over his.

'You're acting like you've never seen my body before' He teased.

'I've never seen it do that' She pointed a finger back toward the court and he chortled again.

'Maybe I should watch you play' He suggested coyly.

She snorted. 'I can barely walk in a straight line without falling flat on my face'

'Now I know that's not true, you're a model'

'A surprisingly uncoordinated model'

He rolled his eyes. 'You cope pretty great with a catwalk' His hands ran over her thighs. 'Maybe I should get a demonstration right now'

'No way' She shook her head. 'Not happening' She laughed at the pout that formed. 'What's your middle name?' She asked eagerly, conveniently changing the subject.

'What?'

'Your middle name, do you have one?'

He looked down, his smile suddenly gone, replaced with a very unamused look. 'Did Brooke tell you it?' He complained.

'Er, no. If she had I wouldn't be asking would I?! What is it?' She looked at him expectantly. 'Well?'

'What's yours?'

'Mae. After my mum's sister' She informed him simply.

'That's pretty'

'Yeah, she was beautiful'

'Was?' He asked gently.

'She died before I was born. She was seventeen, completely high, walked out into a road of traffic'

'God that's horrible Peyt, I'm, I'm so sorry'

She shrugged. 'I never knew her. My mum was with her that night, her first screw up of many. She gets her little sister wasted and then put's her in her coffin, all in one night'

'You can't blame Ellie-'

'Her words not mine'

Lucas' hands slid behind her to cup her backside, effortlessly lifting her so she was completely straddling him now.

'Eugene'

'What?' Her hands had found their way around his neck.

'My middle name. Eugene'

She sucked in her bottom lip, stifling the laugh that was daring to escape.

'It's alright go ahead. Laugh.' He indulged her, eager to put a smile back on her face.

'That's, that's...cute?' She spluttered.

'Yeah, really, really cute' He shook his head, clearly vexed by his unfortunate naming. 'I don't know what mum was thinking'

'I'm liking your mum a bit more with every passing second' She giggled. 'Lucas Eugene Scott' She rolled his name off of her tongue.

'I'm glad I amuse you so much' He pressed his forehead against hers and they stayed that way.

'It's quiet here' She whispered.

'Mmm' He agreed, it was something he definitely favoured over New York.

'It's weird, but I kind of like it' She hummed.

'Yeah?'

'Uhuh' A gentle breeze blew through the muggy night air. 'You know what I like best?' Her legs curled tightly around him and he took a sharp intake of breath. 'That I can do this without anyone taking a picture or watching'

'Wow, not even three days ago you declared you'd never hold my hand in public, now look, you're totally rocking the PDA boat'

'I'm working on this whole honeymoon stage thing' She told him with a coy little smirk. 'How am I doing?'

'Currently, I give you a C'

'C? I was an A grade student Lucas, well until I started modelling' She muttered.

'Well, I'll regrade you if you impress me enough'

She shifted impossibly closer, seductively gazing at him. 'Now?'

'B, definitely a B' He exhaled, his breath hitting her rosy cheeks.

Her slight body pressed up against his and her mouth ghosted across his, her tongue skimming across his lower lip horrendously slowly. She pulled away before going any further, eyebrows raised expectantly.

'A, fucking A*' He relented quickly. She grinned successfully, willingly letting him tug her face back to his.

He liked this trouble free Peyton, he liked the carefree attitude that Tree Hill had enveloped her in today but he was very aware that it wouldn't last. He had a limited amount of time before they'd have to return to the madness of New York, a limited amount of time where she was calm and not distracted from the hysteria that encased her normal life. A limited amount of time to make her see that they really had a chance at making this work and that he wasn't planning on going anywhere. He knew when they returned they'd face obstacles that could threaten everything he'd managed to achieve in the last week alone. He had just three days to convince her that perhaps there was such a thing as true love, just three days to prove that she was his.