AUTHOR'S NOTE: I know it's been a really long time... again. I wish I had more of an excuse except I've been busy but that's really all I've got for you. I've been busy with kids and work and life and just didn't have time to work on this like I would have liked. But now... I've finished it. I mean... written all the remaining chapters and plan on posting them in a timely fashion. There isn't a lot left of this one but I appreciate everyone who has continued to read this and review and kept PMing me asking me to continue. It means a lot to me. I've also started working on a new fic so hopefully I can start posting that as soon as I'm done with this one. Thanks again for all the reviews... and please let me know your thoughts on this. Sorry for the cliffhanger... again. But I promise this time I won't make you wait a year or months for the next chapter. A week at the most :) Enjoy.

Chapter 36

Brooke Davis paced back and forth in front of the airport window her eyes moving quickly from the view of the airplane she was about to board and back to the cell phone in her hands. She had called Peyton five times since finding out she would be able to make it on the earlier flight, and no still had not received an answer. Sure, calling again wouldn't necessarily classify her as crazy… she had every right to worry especially after the past months they had together, but she didn't want to bother the blonde if she was in fact, just getting some much needed rest.

Brooke stops moving and glances toward the gate area where passengers are now starting to line up to board. She lets out a sigh and flips her hair over her shoulder with her free hand before giving in and pressing a button on her cell, beginning a new call. She holds the phone to her ear with her shoulder as she rummages through her bag for her boarding pass.

After two rings, a voice answers.

"Hey Brooke!" Haley says sounding happy and causing Brooke to smile. Just hearing the happiness in her friend's voice calms her nerves about Peyton. "How's New York?"

"It's good," Brooke answers finding her boarding pass and heading toward the line that has grown in size. "But I'm so ready to come home."

The brunette can hear Haley chuckle on the other end of the phone.

"Well, you'll be here soon… your plane gets in at 7 right?"

"Actually, I caught an earlier flight," Brooke explains smiling at the thought. "I'm about to board… I'm supposed to get to Tree Hill around 4. Can you still pick me up?"

"Oh Brooke, that's great!" Haley says sounding a little flustered but trying to hide it. "Sure… I just have to move some things around but I'll be waiting for you," Haley replies.

"Hales… is everything okay?" Brooke asks, a sudden chill running down her spine. "I tried to call Peyton but she didn't answer."

"Everything is fine Brooke," Haley tries to reassure her friend. The last thing she wants Brooke to know is that she left Peyton home alone after strict instructions not to do so. But she can't lie either… she's never been great at it and she can tell by the sound of Brooke's voice that it will only cause more harm than good. "Brooke…" she starts.

"I've got to go Hales," Brooke says as she gets to the front of the line and gets a sharp glare from the airport worker waiting for her boarding pass and identification. "I'll see you at 4."

"Okay… see you at 4," Haley replies but Brooke barely hears her before she ends the call and holds the button to turn off her phone before shoving it in her purse and boarding the plane.

"Dad?" Jamie asks as he comes out of Peyton's bedroom. "She's not in there."

"What?" Nathan asks coming out from the kitchen and finding Jamie standing in the hallway. "What do you mean she's not there?"

"I mean she's not here," Jamie says sounding confused. Nathan however just moves around his son and makes his way to the bedroom pushing the door open quickly.

Jamie is right… Peyton isn't there. He moves further into the room and checks the bathroom… also empty. He comes back out and scans the house, as if maybe she's sitting right in front of him and he just didn't see her. But his eyes stop when he passes the window, and a frown appears on his brow.

"Damnit Sawyer!" he shouts out frustrated as he pulls his cell phone out of his pocket and starts to dial.

"What's wrong Daddy?" Jamie asks a little worried. "Is Aunt Peyton okay?"

"I'm sure she's fine Jamie," Nathan replies to his son waiting to hear Peyton's voice on the other end of his phone. "But she's going to be in a lot of trouble when I find her," he finishes once Peyton's voice mail picks up. He ends the call and quickly dials another number.

"Why is she in trouble? Did she not clean her room?" Jamie asks.

"No buddy… she promised your mom she would stay here but she didn't keep that promise," Nathan explains just as Haley picks up on the other line.

"What?!" Haley shouts having heard Nathan explaining to Jamie. "She's gone?"

"I told you that you shouldn't have left her alone," Nathan says. "She was going stir crazy there was no way she was going to stay in the house without someone watching her."

"She couldn't have gone too far," Haley says. "Is her car there?"

"Nope," Nathan says checking out the window one more time for the Comet. "Car is gone and so are the keys," he says making his way to the front door and the dish that usually holds them. "Where would she go?"

"My guess is the studio," Haley replies. "She was talking about needing to get back in there and get some work done."

"Alright… we'll stop over there and see if she's there. I'll call you when I find her."

"Nathan…" Haley starts only to be cut off by her husband.

"Relax Hales… she's fine. I'll find her," he reassures her.

Lucas' eyes scan the words on his computer screen. His finger lingered over the delete button but something stopped him from pressing down.

He had hung up with Lindsay just over twenty minutes before and he had promised her that he wouldn't be too hard on himself when it came to his writing. But the more he stared at the words on the screen, the more he started to doubt them.

"No," Lucas tells himself, moving his fingers from the keyboard and carefully shutting the laptop in front of him to keep himself from doing what he shouldn't. "I just need to get some air."

He makes his way to the kitchen, pulling open the refrigerator doors and noticing the complete lack of anything edible. He sighs as he closes the doors and moves around the counter to grab his keys.

With nothing to eat in the house, the only way he was going to be able to continue writing was if he got some food. Beside, leaving the house was good for him and something he had not been doing that much of. Not only had he promised Lindsay that he wouldn't be too critical of his writing, he did promise her he would attempt to get out of the house more. Going out to get something to eat sounded like a perfect start.

The blonde man made his way down the drive to his car that was waiting for him. He hopped in, rolling the windows down to enjoy the beautiful day. He fumbled with the radio as he drove down the streets of Tree Hill toward town. But just as he found the perfect song on the radio he noticed something strange out of the corner of his eye.

The Comet.

Peyton's car was parked in front of Tric in its usual place. There wasn't another car in sight and Lucas found it a little strange that Peyton would be working after being ordered to stay in bed. He knew that Haley had been staying with her while Brooke was out of town, but he also knew that if Haley were with Peyton, there was no way they would be in the Comet.

Lucas quickly discards his journey to find food, forgetting that things between him and Peyton were not exactly good. Instead, his worry is driving him as he pulls up and parks next to her car, standing and glancing up at the window of Red Bedroom Records.

He frowns when he sees the closed blinds. Peyton always kept the blinds open… something about the natural light helping her think more clearly. Lucas forgets all their problems and quickly makes his way to the entrance and lets himself inside.

Rivers stands inside Red Bedroom Records carefully looking out the blinds of the window. His eyes dart back and forth making sure his plan is going exactly as he wanted. He sees no cars or any other sign of anyone around so he quickly closes the blinds and moves back toward the recording room.

He never imagined he be where he is today. When Victoria Davis had contacted him he promised himself he wouldn't take the job. Something inside of him told him not to, but he couldn't turn it down after the offer came in. The money was just too good to be true. He knew that if he could just pull off this one last job, he would have no problem moving away from this stupid little town and starting the life he had always wanted somewhere bigger and better.

Leaving had always been his plan for as long as he could remember. While taking a job for Victoria Davis was a bit more high profile than he would normally take, it was also a lot more money than he had ever been offered. Originally he was just supposed to take the sketches… rough up the brunette and get her back to New York like Victoria wanted. He almost turned down this job… the one that required him to get rid of Peyton Sawyer… but once again the offer of money was just too high to refuse.

This job was more difficult than most. Not only did he have to get the girl and kill her, but he had to make it look like someone specific did it. Lucas Scott had always been the target… the guy to pin it on but Peyton and her little friends had made his job a lot harder than he wanted.

He never expected them to reconcile… or at least be civil with each other. He knew that Peyton and Lucas hadn't been in touch, but he also knew that others in their circle had been. It didn't help that they kept the blonde under lock and key either. It was like she was never alone… making it difficult for Rivers to get to her. So while he had never planned to be standing in Red Bedroom Records with Peyton tied up and knocked out in the recording room, he had to jump at the only chance he had with her by herself.

The sound of moaning coming from the other room startles Rivers back to the present as his eyes meet with Peyton's green. Tears are falling down her cheeks and he can see where some blood from the back of her head has dripped down her face. The tape over her mouth is keeping her from screaming but it isn't for lack of trying.

Rivers notices that there is more blood on the floor beneath her. His eyes trail up and down her body but no matter what he can't seem to find anything that would indicate why there was so much blood.

"What's with all the blood?" he asks angrily at the blonde. She moves her mouth to speak but the tape prevents her from doing so. Rivers reaches forward and pulls the tape off quickly.

"It's… it's the baby… I… I think something… something's wrong."

"Something is wrong alright," Rivers answers with a little half smile.

"Please… Peyton starts, her voice escalating. "Help!" she shouts out.

"Shut up!" Rivers says moving toward the blonde and reaching down for his bag. He had brought a change of clothes with him and changed while she was passed out. Now dressed in his jeans and t-shirt he pulled out one of his two guns from his bag. But the one he pulled out wasn't his… and Peyton clearly knew it when he presented it to her.

"Do you know who this belongs to?" Rivers asks as he holds it out pointed at her head. "Surely you've seen it before."

The blonde continues to struggle tied up and Rivers cringes at the sound of her scream. His hand lashes out, connecting with her face and when she turns back to face him not only is she quiet, but she has a slow trickle of blood from her nose.

"That's better," Rivers says calmly. "Now, do you know who this gun belongs to?" he asks again holding the barrel to her temple. The blonde closes her eyes before opening them slowly and responding.

"Why are you doing this?" she asks carefully ignoring the pain she's feeling from what feels like every inch of her body.

"You know, I didn't think to ask," Rivers replies. "I'm just following orders."

"Whatever you're being paid… I'll double it," Peyton offers, hoping the idea of money can appeal to the man and get her out of this situation alive. She knows that if she doesn't get help soon that the life of her child is at risk. But instead of even considering it, Rivers just laughs.

"You know, I thought you might say that," he replies, standing up and pacing back and forth in front of her. "But I also know you don't have that kind of money."

"But I have friends… Brooke… Brooke has money and Nathan… I can get it to you…," Peyton starts to plead.

"No," Rivers rejects her offer before she can continue. "It's already in motion… my plan is going to work." A laugh erupts from the blonde, surprising the corrupt cop and causing him to frown as he aims the gun back at her head. "What's so funny?"

Peyton continues to chuckle as she answers.

"Nothing… just… I mean… this is how you planned this? No one is going to believe that Lucas killed me," Peyton answers and Rivers raises a brow.

"So you do know whose gun this is?" he asks waving it up and down. Peyton nods in reply and Rivers smiles. "And why wouldn't they think Lucas is capable of murder? He's so in love with you that your rejection drove him to commit the ultimate crime of passion," Rivers talks through his plan with his captive.

"Except this isn't a Lifetime movie," Peyton interrupts. "These people are my friends… my family. We've known each other for so long we can practically think for one another. Lucas isn't capable of murder."

"Did you think he was capable of half the things he's done the past several months?" Rivers shoots back, causing Peyton to frown. "I didn't think so. People surprise you all the time. And Lucas Scott has given every reason for the cops to suspect him."

"Then what are you waiting for?" Peyton asks surprising even herself at the words.

She's not ready to die, as Rivers is threatening. But she's not afraid to either. She had lived a good life… she had great friends and the love of the most beautiful woman in the world. Sure, there was a lot she had not had the chance to do… a whole lot of life she would miss out on. She wouldn't be there for the life she had always wanted with Brooke and she would miss watching Jamie grow up. She would never know if she was a good mother… she would never get to see Brooke be a mother. But none of that mattered… because the life she had lived had been good. There had been ups and downs… good times and bad, but to Peyton that only meant that she had truly lived. If this moment was the end, she could say that she was ending on a high note.

"Good question," Rivers responds, cocking the gun and holding it out steady several feet away from the blonde. "Any last words?"

Peyton sucks in a breath, closing her eyes and picturing Brooke's face. She opens them slowly and begins to open her mouth to speak. But before she can out of the corner of her eye she sees a body come flying from the entry way, blonde hair and white shirt tackling Rivers to the ground. The gun falls to the floor as the two men throw punches left and right.

Peyton struggles to move her body to the corner of the room. With her hands and feet still bound together, it proves to be more difficult than she would like. It isn't until she's moved almost a foot that she realizes for the first time just how much blood is beneath her. She can feel the tears streaming down her face and eventually looks back up just as the man in the white shirt manages to retrieve the gun that had been dropped.

"Lucas!" Peyton screams upon realizing it is him.

"Peyt! Are you alright?" Lucas asks the gun now pointed at Rivers who is still lying on his back just in front of Lucas, both hands in the air. "Peyton!"

"I... I think so... but... the... the baby..."

Lucas takes a second to glance over at Peyton where he sees the pool of blood that has been made visible more now that she's moved slightly. He sucks in a breath and has to force himself not to run over to the blonde. A chuckle from Rivers brings Lucas' eyes back down.

"What's so funny asshole?" Lucas asks, never moving the gun from in front of him.

Rivers can see the anger in his eyes and despite knowing that Lucas has the upper hand, he can't help but laugh again.

"Nothing. Go ahead... shoot me."

"Don't push me," Lucas says, cocking the gun and struggling internally with whether or not to pull the trigger.

"Come on... you know you want to. If you pull that trigger it will all be over and you'll be the hero. You'll be her hero again," Rivers mocks Lucas only causing Lucas to become more agitated.

"Lucas..." Peyton starts quietly. The two of them hadn't spoken since that night in front of her house. She hadn't been ready to reconcile with him... to forgive him for all he had done. She wasn't sure that she ever could. But right now... none of that mattered... and for a moment she remembered the Lucas she had met all those years ago. The man she had loved and cared about... the one that had loved and cared about her. "Lucas... please don't," Peyton finishes this time more strongly.

"This has to end Peyton," Lucas says without even turning around to speak to her. His eyes are stuck on Rivers. "I was wrong when I started this... and now I have to finish it."

"Not this way," Peyton says carefully not wanting to upset him. "Please... just don't."

"So what's it going to be Lucas?" Rivers pushes Lucas some more. "Going to finish this shit... or are you go to spend every day for the rest of your life knowing you are the reason that she has to look over her shoulder. Because I promise you... this won't ever be over until I say it is."

"Shut up!" Lucas shouts moving forward quickly and pressing the gun to Rivers temple harshly. "If you go near her..."

Peyton starts to moan when she feels a rush of pain wash over her body. She knows that something is wrong... something is terribly wrong... but the pain is too much for her to be able to voice it.

"Better hurry up," Rivers says laughing again. "She doesn't sound too good."

With that Lucas forgets his surroundings just for a split second and turns to Peyton to make sure she is okay. But Rivers takes the opportunity and gets the upper hand, lunging forward and knocking Lucas back, the gun still loaded in his hand.

The last thing Peyton remembers is hearing the sound of the gun going off before the world goes black.