Lucas let out a yawn as he began to wake up. He remembered falling asleep with Peyton in his arms, but he couldn't feel her body beside him anymore. He opened his eyes to find himself lying on the bedroom floor, alone.

"Peyton?" Lucas called out. "Damn. Please don't tell me she left,"

After checking the entire upstairs for Peyton, without any luck, Lucas flew down the stairs and ran into the kitchen. There was no sign of Peyton there. He picked up his keys from the counter and his cell phone that was sitting beside the keys.

As he walked through the rest of the house, looking for Peyton, he dialed Haley's phone number. He put the phone to his ear as he began walking towards the front door.

"Hello?" a voice answered on the other line as he pulled the front door open.

"Peyton?"

"Um…no, it's Haley. Lucas? Are you ok?"

"Yeah…uh, never mind," Lucas said into the phone just before he hung up on a confused Haley. Lucas found himself staring at the back of a curly haired figured sitting at the edge of the porch.

"Hey," Lucas greeted as he sat down beside her.

"Hey," she replied without looking at him.

"You know, you gave me quite a scare,"

"Why," Peyton asked in a monotone voice.

"Cause, when I woke up, you weren't there. I…I thought that you took off again,"

"Yeah, well, I almost did,"

"What kept you?"

Peyton shrugged her shoulders before looking over at Lucas, "Lots of things,"

"Pey..."

"Lucas," Peyton said cutting him off. "I need to know,"

"Kay, what do you want to know?"

Peyton remembered her trek through the house earlier that morning. She had come downstairs and was about to leave, when she noticed pictures hanging in the hallway. She looked closer. They were pictures of Lucas and his mother and some of Nathan and Haley. "What's going on here?" she thought to herself. Peyton shook her head, trying to shake out the thoughts. "Forget about it. It means nothing. Just keep going," But her curiosity got the best of her.

She continued through the living room. The set up was exactly the same as she remembered it. Peyton looked at the furniture. It was the Sawyer's furniture. Her attention was then drawn to the fireplace. On the mantel were more pictures. Her mind became even more confused as she scanned the framed photographs, one by one. They were various pictures of her family; her, her mother and her father, at different times throughout her life. They were the same family pictures that were supposed to be packed up when the Sawyers sold the house. In fact, everything belonging to the Sawyers' was supposed to be packed up by professional movers and stored in a storage house.

Peyton wondered why the Sawyer's belongings were never moved out. She made her way out of the living room, but not before she spotted magazines on the coffee table. She picked up a 'NBA Inside Stuff' magazine. As Peyton looked at the front cover, she had take a closer look at the cover. The picture of Shaq in a Miami Heat uniform on the cover wasn't what got her attention. It was the address. The address belonged to the Sawyer's house, but the strange thing was that the subscriber was Lucas Scott.

Peyton's strange findings were beginning to take a toll on her. She put the magazine back down and walked towards the front door. She couldn't handle it anymore. The more she thought about Lucas living in her house, the more puzzled she became.

After snapping out of her daydream, Peyton began questioning Lucas, "What's going on here? Why are you living in my house?"

"I bought it,"

"Why?"

"Cause…when Uncle Keith and I came back to Tree Hill, he needed a place to live, so I convinced him to help me buy it. Peyton, I wanted to buy your house because I wanted you to have a home to come back to,"

"Tree Hill isn't my home. This house, isn't my home anymore,"

"Then why did you come back here last night?"

The question stunned Peyton for second. She didn't have the answer to his question. After she left the cemetery, Peyton found herself walking carelessly around town. She never had a destination in mind; she just ended up at the house.

"I don't know, Luke. What do you want me to say?" Peyton began to get angry, "That I wish my dad never listened to me and sold it? That I wish it was my home? "

A smile crossed Lucas's face, "Yeah, I did want you to say that,"

Peyton pursed her lips together. Lucas's response upset her. "Forget it," she said as she made her way down the steps.

Panicked, Lucas jumped after her and ran in front of Peyton's path. He rested his hands on her arms, stopping her in her tracks.

"Get out of my way,"

"Nope, sorry. Not until you here me out,"

Peyton folded her arms across her chest, clearly letting Lucas know that she was upset with him.

Knowing that he had Peyton's full attention, Lucas began, "Do you remember the package you left for me the day I left for Charleston?"

How could Peyton ever forget that day. It was the first night of many when she cried herself to sleep. It was also the night she swore that she'd never let herself get hurt by Lucas Scott.

"Well," Lucas continued, "I never got it till after I was in Charleston. When I read that letter, I came right back to Tree Hill. I came back for you. Peyton, I never would have left Tree Hill if I got it in time. I never would have left you,"

"But you did, Luke. Even if I didn't give you that letter, you shouldn't have left,"

"You know I didn't leave because of you. I was leaving because of Dan,"

"Yeah, and to start a new life. A NEW life that didn't include me. It's OK, Luke. You don't have to explain anything. I get it. Besides, it's all in the past. Just do me a favor and get over it. I did," Peyton had just lied not only to Lucas but also to herself. She never got over Lucas Scott and she never would. It wasn't easy saying those words, but back in Peyton's mind, she wondered if Lucas was just telling her this out of pity. She wondered if he really felt that way about her. All she was trying to do was to protect herself from getting hurt again.

"Why do you do this?" Lucas questioned with frustration in his voice.

"Do what?"

"This…push people who love you away. Do you really want to live life alone?"

"You so did NOT just ask me that,"

"I just did,"

"You have no clue do you? I'm the one who lost my mother when I was nine years old. I'm the one who watched my father drown, nine years later. I'm the one you all left behind. If you haven't noticed, Lucas, I don't leave them. People leave me," Peyton yelled out angrily.

Lucas, who was emotionally worked up, retorted back, "What about Haley? Or Nathan? Even Brooke. They didn't leave you. Look, my point is you barely said a word to any of them since you came back. They did everything they could to try to talk to you, but you never gave them the chance. You just did what you do best, hide your feelings from everyone who loves you. You pretend that everything is OK and that you're strong enough to handle everything on your own, but…" Lucas took a breath and began to calm his voice down, "…but I know it's killing you inside. I know you feel like you're all alone. I just want you to know that you don't have to go through this on your own. I'm here for you. We're all here for you. Just give us the chance,"

"I don't need you to lecture me about how I feel or what I should do or don't do," Peyton stepped around Lucas and began walking off.

Lucas watched Peyton walk away from him. He felt as though that this was his last chance to tell Peyton that he loved her. Regardless of how upset she seemed to be, Lucas wasn't going to give up. He couldn't watch her walk away from him without knowing.

"I'm not finished, Peyton," Lucas stated firmly as he reached for her arm and spun her to face him. Before Peyton could protest, Lucas continued.

"You want to know the reason why I about your house? The reason is you, Peyton. I wanted you to have a home to come back to. And I wanted to be here when you did. I wanted to have the chance to tell you that I want to give us that second chance. But if you don't…" Lucas choked out, "…if you don't, then this was all for nothing," Lucas looked at Peyton, pleading with his eyes that she wouldn't let their second chance pass them by.

Peyton could only blink. She couldn't find the words to speak. It was probably the first time that Peyton Sawyer was actually speechless.

In a calm and soothing voice, Lucas finished what he wanted to say, "Peyton, I love you. You have no idea how much I love you. But no matter how much I beg, I can't make you stay. So if you want to go, then go. Just know that I never changed the locks to your house. My door will always be there for you. When you're ready, all you have to do is open it and I'll be waiting for you," Lucas leaned in and gently placed a kiss on her forehead. "Don't stop us from happening,"

Peyton was left standing in the front yard. She stood there alone, watching Lucas disappear behind the door. Lucas's voice echoed in her head. Thoughts about Lucas and his intentions flowed through her mind. But this time there was something different. There wasn't any doubt in her mind. Her mind had stopped doubting Lucas's love for her.