Your reviews are awesome! Thank you to all who have been giving me feed back.
Unfortunately I think this story is coming to end. I'll have an epilogue to wrap things up. There were so many rewrites for this chapter because I could never explain things the way I wanted or I couldn't come up with an ending. But I think this will do. I hope you guys enjoy it.
Disclaimer: I don't own OTH or the characters.
Title of this chapter is a song by Keane

Chapter 12: Everybody's Changing

As people grow older they get wiser; they learn from their mistakes and evolve to become a better person. Through this growth into a better person, changes are made to themselves and to the people around them. But even though changes are made within, there are some things that remain the same.

I've made plenty of mistakes in my life and I'd be lying if I said that I wasn't still learning from them. I am still trying to become that better person…not just for myself, but also for my kids and especially from my wife. But even as I change, there's one thing that won't change; and that's the love I have for Peyton.


It had been a long day for Lucas. Ever since he had woken up that morning his door seemed turn into a revolving door as visitors came and went. Thankfully, visiting hours were over and Lucas lay comfortably in his hospital bed. He was about to doze off when he heard his door creek open again. It was Peyton, the only person allowed to stay with him.

"Too tired for one more visitor?"

"Not if it's just you," he grinned.

She smiled and took a seat beside him on the bed. She had waited all day for some time alone with her husband – some time alone to talk and to rehash things.

"What's wrong?"

Peyton shook her head, "It's nothing," her nerves got the best of her and changed her mind.

"Peyt…. Talk to me," he put his hand on hers, letting her know he was there for her.

Her eyes looked away, not wanting to talk. Before she looked away, he saw the hurt in her eyes.

Carefully, Lucas sat up. He lifted her chin and looked her in the eyes. "I made a mistake and I'm trying to fix it, but I can't do it on my own. I need you to talk to me,"

Peyton bit her bottom lip. The last thing she wanted to do was to deal with her feelings, but she also knew it was the only way they could move on. Feeling vulnerable, Peyton crossed her arms around her torso as if she were trying to hold herself together.

"Lucas, I just…I don't know what to feel anymore. You know, when you were rushed to the hospital, I found myself in the chapel…praying to God that he wouldn't take you away…that Roewan and Sawyer didn't deserve to grow up without their father…" Peyton's voice began to crack, as tears began to form, "and now that you're OK, I thank Him that you're still here and I know I should be happy but…"

"But what?"

Peyton wiped away her tearing eyes. "But at the same time, I feel like I don't know who you are anymore. I'm scared that you're not the same person I fell in love with. I mean the Lucas Scott that I fell in love with never kept secrets from me. He told me everything and he was always there for me,"

"Peyton, I made a huge mistake, and believe me I'm paying for it," Lucas pleaded, "But I am...I am still the same guy you married and who always loved you…I will do anything and everything to prove that to you. Please just give me time to let me show that to you,"

"But what if it's not enough anymore? I mean I feel like I was the one who disappointed you. I was your wife and you couldn't even turn to me for support,"

"Peyton, you have never disappointed me, not then and not ever. I wanted to tell you but I knew if I told you, you wouldn't have let me play another game,"

"Damn right, I wouldn't have! And that's another thing I don't understand," She couldn't believe that was the reason why he couldn't tell her - that he let basketball come between their marriage and his life, "You knew you couldn't play in your condition… that you could have died just by walking onto the court and yet you kept on playing"

"And that's exactly why I couldn't tell you. It was my decision to make. Look, maybe it was a stupid choice, but at that time I thought I was doing the right thing," he stubbornly defended his actions.

"Do you realize that you chose a stupid game over your life? That because of your selfish decision I went through Hell. Even now…I keep picturing you lying on the court. Do you know what it was like to see you like that? To hold you in my arms while you… Lucas your heart stopped and you…"

Peyton began to cry heavily and couldn't finish her sentence. Seeing her breakdown right in front of him scared him. Lucas finally saw how much pain Peyton was feeling and it hurt him just as much because he knew that there wasn't anything that he could say that could take it all away. But he wouldn't give up on her or them.

He pulled her into his arms and held her, "I sorry," he whispered in her ear. The tears began to flow from his tired eyes. "I never wanted to put you through that. Peyton I'll do anything to fix it," He pulled apart just enough to look her in her eyes, "I can't change the past and I can't promise that things will be the same, but I will promise that it'll be even better. I'm here now ok? And I'm not going anywhere without you,"

A small smile formed across her lips. Lucas was right, things between them had changed but what didn't change was their love for each other. It was always their inside of them and it was the one thing that kept them strong and alive, "I know…I know and that's why I know that we'll be alright,"


It was nearing midnight and the now happy couple was lying side by side in the single hospital bed. Peyton's head rested against his shoulder as he stroked her hair.

"Peyton?"

Peyton, half asleep, kept her eyes closed, "Yeah?"

"I need to tell you something,"

"What?" Her eyes opened, but she didn't move from her position.

"I found your book…the one about your ideas and sketches for your own magazine. Why didn't you tell me about it?"

Lucas braced himself for Peyton's answer. He anticipated that Peyton would try to avoid facing her own insecurities by becoming upset with him for 'snooping' through her things, but he was wrong. Instead, he felt Peyton take in a deep, calming breath. She partially sat up to face him.

"I don't know…I guess partly because you were busy with basketball and then when the kids came, I needed to focus on them…but mainly because I was scared,"

"You don't have to be scared anymore," Lucas told her and removed a curl from her face, "Peyton, you sacrificed everything for me and now it's my turn. It's my turn to support your career and take care of the kids while you live your dream. It's my turn to take care of you,"

"Lucas…" Peyton began with a hint of skepticism.

"You don't have a choice," interrupted Lucas, "Mike O'Dell, your old magazine boss from New York, wants you to publish as soon as possible,"

Peyton's thoughts froze as her body tensed up. She couldn't believe what she was hearing.

"I called him after I found your book and pitched the idea. He loved it Peyton and wants to help you start up as a 'sister' magazine to his... whatever that means," Lucas chuckled, "All I know is that the magazine will be 100 yours,"

Peyton remained quiet and it bothered Lucas. He knew that a quiet Peyton was never a good sign.

"What do you think? Peyton?"

Abruptly, Peyton sat up. He could tell that she was upset. Peyton avoided eye contact with Lucas and turned her face away from him. She knew she should have been happy to hear the news. But her own self-doubt prevented her from thanking him. The very reason she never told anyone about her dream was because she was afraid that in the end, she would fail. Keeping it a secret let her hide that and it made her feel safe, but now she had nowhere to hide.

But before she could voice her insecurities, Lucas reassured her, "Your ideas were amazing and I'm going to do whatever it takes to see that you get to live your dreams. You can do this Peyton…I believe in you,"

'I believe in you' – are only four little words, but it eased her own doubts and it meant everything to her.