Author's note: As usual, sorry for taking such a long time to update. I'll update more frequently from now on. HONEST!

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Lucas looked into his fiancee's eyes and instantly knew why he could not reach her. His hands dropped to his sides, as if he lost all control on them. The annoyance he felt on seeing Ryan at Brooke's apartment was completely forgotten. All there was then was silence.

And it was deafening him.

Lucas took a step back. Two steps back, stumbled and found himself sitting on her beanbag. He looked desperate, lost. He just could not erase what he saw in Brooke's eyes. Her sadness.

It was enough to rip his soul.

"Brooke...' Lucas pleaded. "It wasn't… They meant… You weren't…"

Each word Lucas said seemed to be twisting the dagger that was already stabbed into her heart. "They?" It was barely a whisper. She only knew about him cheating with Emma. Just that once. Brooke suddenly realized that she had been cheated many times over by her fiancé. She felt stupid. Blind. But the cruellest deed was that he proposed to her.

Brooke did not know what to do. Was she going to be angry? Or sympathetic? Why wouldn't this damn hurt go away?

"Brooke, I'm so sorry. It was a mistake. I'm so sorry. I love you."

"No, I'm sorry I loved you." Brooke was surprised that she could find enough strength to say that. She was also surprised that her tears were threatening to fall again. She thought that impossible as she had cried the whole night. Where did these tears come from?

Where was Ryan? She needed him there to protect her. Ryan would always protect her. Where was he?

Lucas watched helplessly as the woman he loved began crying. He always hated seeing her cry. It always made him want to pounce on the person responsible for her tears. But. he couldn't this time. He could only watch her cry, watch her beautiful face wet with unhappiness. With hurt that was caused by him. Lucas felt his own tears roll down his cheeks.

"I am so sorry Brooke." It sounded lame. It sounded stupid. But that was all that Lucas was able to say. No quote from any author could have been adequate for this.

Brooke looked up to him. She could not decide what hurt more, the fact that he cheated on her, or the fact that he could very probably be sick. She bit her lips, trying to regain her composure.

"Lucas, I love so much. I love you so damn much" Brooke started, gasping for air after enunciating each word. "But why Emma?"

"It was a one off thing. I didn't know what I was doing Brooke. I love you."

"Emma's sick, Luke. She has HIV."

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Peyton suddenly noticed a figure hovering behind her as she exited the department store. She walked faster, only to see the shadow move just as fast. Terror reigned on Peyton's heart. Her thoughts suddenly flung to Derek. Brother Derek. Stalker Derek. Crazy Psycho Derek. She contemplated on running, but before she could, a pair of strong arms circled her. Peyton's scream was muffled by his palm.

"Well, that's not the way to greet an old friend, Peyton Sawyer."

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