12 Memories

Chapter 2 - How Many Hearts

A/N - Thanks a lot for your support with this story, I wasn't sure if it would catch on, but obviously people are into the plot. I am sorry for you Jake fans, he's kind of a jerk in this story, but I do have hopes to lighten his character up as things get resolved and less bitter between him and Peyton. Also Brooke may be a little bitchy here too, but she'll get better as things work their way out, as they often do. Anyway though, here's chapter 2. Read and enjoy ;-)

– 'We are not strangers to ourselves; we only try to be' –

The large mall was crowded, but he wasted no time dodging people to get to the bench near the food court where Haley said they'd be waiting. He pushed through large masses, quickly spotting the curls from his position, heading towards them with speed. As he approached Peyton, she immediately flung herself into his willing, open arms. He tightened his grip, reinforcing the fact that he was there for her, no matter the circumstance. When Peyton finally detached herself from her best friend's arms, he draped an arm over her smaller shoulders, lending reassurance. Nathan walked in minutes later, finding Haley eating a pretzel while Lucas and Peyton stood in line, waiting for their chance to order.

– How many hearts does it take to break, all of the bonds that young lovers make? Hoping to find the next golden egg' –

Sitting across from each other on his queen size bed, he at the head while she watched him from the foot, he quietly began to talk. Cautiously approaching the matter at hand, he knew how to deal with her fragile state. They'd been friends for nearly fifteen years now, each having their own share of break-ups. He could vividly recall her first, Alex Beding, who had asked her out in the beginning of fifth grade. She was 11, still grieving with the loss of her mother, still vulnerable enough for a kid like Alex to come along and be a jerk, like 11 year old boys were.

FLASHBACK

A state of complete overjoy had become of his best friend from the time she came to his house freaking out about her first boyfriend. He had smiled and hugged her, still thinking she didn't need a guy to make her happy. But he was her guy best friend, he kept his mouth shut and listened to her ramble on about Alex for the next hour. She kept going on and on about how sweet he was, how nice he had been, how he asked her to have lunch with him the next day. His little eyes reflected disappointment, she wasn't going to be at their lunch table the next day, she would be sitting with someone else, gracing someone else with her presence. For the first time in years, he wouldn't be having lunch with her.

It was less than a week later that she ended up at his door, tears in her eyes. Not that she had loved him, or that there was any real connection, they were only 11. But because another person had left her in the dark, once again she was abandoned and alone, something he vowed to never allow again. She was at his back door, he welcomed her in where he handed her the box of tissues and sat with her for another hour. They spent that Friday night watching movies that he would've never watched otherwise.

END FLASHBACK

– 'One that will shine through the rest of time, and how many roads must there need to be, hoping inside, you could mean to me' –

Ever since then, he'd been the one to put the pieces of her heart back together. It was a tiring job, she'd been through many break ups since fifth grade, but somewhere along the line they got easier. They got easier because she stopped putting her heart out there, she stopped giving them all of her, so when she broke the fall wasn't as far. But Jake had been different, she'd known him for years, she trusted him. Lucas knew from experience that her trust wasn't easily gained, this is why her descend had seemed so far this time, why her defeat brought her down so much farther than usual. Jake had taken the time to gain her trust, and with that trust she was vulnerable, this he knew, but he pushed her over the edge anyway. Sent her spiraling down into the black hole from which she climbed out of with all her strength every time someone took advantage of her weakness.

"What happened?" his question was quiet, she had been dreading it ever since he arrived at the mall. She wanted nothing more than to put it behind her, forget it ever happened. But he had never been like that, he was never one to avoid the topic at hand, he wanted to know everything. She couldn't help but wonder if he would be asking the question if he knew how much it would hurt to relive those events. She decided that he wouldn't, he was better than that, 'but he wasn't there' she reasoned with herself. She took another deep breath and began to talk herself through the memory.

"We were just sitting walking past one of his favorite stores, and there he was. Standing talking to one of the guys from the basketball team, but I was strong, Luke...I was," she insisted as her tears fell silently, she wiped at them furiously with the back of her hands, he scooted closer to her. He nodded, whispering that he believed her, pushing her lightly to continue.

"So, he came out, and I waved, I wanted to be the better person, ya know? And he just gave me a dirty look, so I was stupid, I got pissed at him for that, and I freaked out. I walked up to him and I spun him around and started yelling all this crap. He just rolled his eyes at me and went to walk away again. But he made me so mad and so I kept yelling, he turned around and came back toward me...God, the look in his eyes...he's so bitter. He's become so bitter, his parents are in the middle of a divorce, his grandpop just died, his eyes are so cold. It's like there's nothing left of him. He started yelling back, he got in my face again and Haley got up in front of him before he could get any closer to me. He started yelling at her too, so she slapped him. You shoulda seen her," a small smile graced Peyton's face, Lucas laughed too. He could picture Haley doing just that, she had never been one to take any crap, maybe that's why he knew his little brother was slowly falling for her.

"Wish I coulda seen that," Lucas made a remark, as Peyton prepared herself to continue.

"I wish I could've done it," her voice sounded hopeless and desperate. Something he rarely heard from her, something he hadn't heard since her mother died. He knew how much she had loved Jake, the sound he heard from her made him want to show Jake just how much he hurt her.

"You could've. You know that. Haley just has a little less class and a little more guts than the rest of us," his light attempt at a joke made her laugh, clearing her tears a little more.

– 'Open your mouth, build your sermon there, give me more time, do the best I can. Hopelessly hoping our plan will wake up, hoping it all will be fine' –

It had only taken him minutes to know what would cheer her up, if only for a few hours. Just to make the pain subside for a little while. Her head had perked up as soon as he suggested it, immediately they both grabbed what they needed, heading out the door after telling Karen their plans.

His Uncle Bob on his mom's side lived a town away during the summer. In the winter his residence was in Florida. From the age of five he'd been told that his uncle needed sun and trees all year round, he hadn't cared about the reason, just the fact that there was a heated pool he could go swimming in during the winter. At five it was like a magic trick, he could recall going swimming in the snow, something that had amused him greatly enough to beg to go back every winter. It wasn't winter, but it wasn't summer either, leaving his uncle's place the only way to swim in the chilly weather of spring.

"Peyton, you take forever!" he knocked on the bathroom door for the fifth time in ten minutes, he'd been done, what seemed like hours ago. He always had been a little impatient.

"Okay, okay I'm done," she came sauntering out in sweat pants and a bikini top. He rolled his eyes as she strutted out of the house.

"Do you think you're cool or something?" he teased, knowing exactly what her reaction would be.

She looked back as he trailed behind in his shorts that were replacing the bathing suits he had in the attic. She scoffed at his attitude and whacked him in the chest. He feigned hurt as she slipped out of her sweat pants and stuck her foot in to feel the water, setting herself up. 'It's too easy' he laughed quietly at her stupidity before stepping back and taking a running start to tackle her.

She knew what he was doing, he was the most predictable guy she had ever met. Swiftly at the last second she slid to the right, leaving him on his way into the pool, by himself. He came back up wet, gasping for air, his hair matted to his head. She stood, laughing hysterically at his drowned form while he swam to the side.

"I see someone's happy," she was still laughing, trying to breathe in between. He mocked her, before lifting himself from the pool and walking up to her.

"Luke...no!" she was still sucking in air, trying to recover from her fit of laughter. He literally swept her up off her feet and stood on the edge of the pool, holding her tightly to him.

"Please, Luke, I'll be nice," she pouted, sticking her bottom lip out to complete the act. He nodded, as though saying 'yea right'. Her hands held tightly around his neck, holding on for dear life. She learned once before not to let him throw her, last time he threw her she ended up on the other side of the pool with a nice red mark from hitting the water.

"Fine...if you throw me, I won't let go of you," she was very firm in her demands. He tried to throw her, nearly losing his balance as she clung to him. His second attempt remained futile, he finally put her down minutes later as she begged to go the bathroom.

When she walked back outside, still perfectly dry, he was nowhere in sight. She looked around, knowing he was planning something. Unwilling to fall victim to his evil scheme.

"Luke?" she whispered, unable to figure out why she was whispering. If she would've seen him rushing at her from the house, maybe she would've moved, but in this case, her back was to him. He came at full speed, letting his hands grab her waist, still moving forward to the pool.

"OH MY GOD!" her squeal made him laugh as they finally hit the water, falling to the bottom. He sat there, as did she, still staring at him, struggling to keep her eyes open in the chlorinated water. She stuck her tongue out at him before swimming to the top, breathing in the clear air that surrounded her. He remained at the bottom, still feeling no need for air yet. She began to worry, swimming back down to find his eyes closed, she panicked.

She grabbed his arm, struggling to get him to the top. As she broke the water he opened his eyes, taking a deep breath, and laughed. Her eyes were angry and hurt was visible again.

"You jerk!" she pulled herself out, unwilling to stay with him in that pool any longer. She wrapped herself in a warm towel, sat on a chair, and waited. They didn't fight much, not to say that it was a fight, but when they did it could last for a while. He was stubborn, so was she, their genes didn't provide for easy repentance.

– 'Holding our candles through weather or not, love be the enemy now, now for the rest of time' –

He could've sat in the pool, been a jackass to her, but his judgement made a better decision for him. He walked up the stairs and made his way to the chair next to her. He hated when they weren't talking, it was like something was missing when they couldn't communicate.

"What did I do?" half of him said he knew, but the other half felt completely clueless. She raised her eyes to look at him, there were no tears as he had expected. She was pulling herself back together, that he was happy about.

"You know what you did."

"No, I don't," his statement was forceful, she scoffed at how stupid he could be.

"Yea, just sit at the bottom of the pool, eyes closed, no bubbles. I go to drag you up, you don't help at all, and you expect me to laugh it off? I thought you drowned or something...what would I do then? I have no other friends," she confessed. His eyes held a smile, though his face was straight.

"I wasn't drowning, just sitting. You know you have other friends, Nathan, Brooke, and Haley are your friends too, ya know?"

"Yea, but they're not you. I can act stupid with you, but with them...it's not the same."

"You know I wouldn't leave you," that smile had vanished, as he stared at her. Somehow convincing her with only one look that he wasn't going anywhere. It was a feeling of trust, something she didn't feel very often. No one ever made the promise not to leave, only her mother, so could she help it if she felt shaky as those words left his mouth?

"You can't promise that...my mom promised that," her voice was softer than usual. He almost regretted saying those words, the hopelessness had returned. That sound was something he thought he would get used to, especially after so many years, but hearing her so broken always left it's mark. Scarring her voice in his head, that sobs that had come year after year embedded into his head.

"But I do. Even if something happens to me there's always a piece of me with you, you know that. The same as your mom didn't break her promise, she's still with you, Peyt," he voiced his promise again, her eyes watering for what felt like the millionth time that day.

"Thank you...I don't know how you do it, but you always make me feel better around this time."

"I try," he flashed a cocky smirk, a half smile forming on her face.

"Your ego is bigger than that pool, Lucas Scott," she declared, he wiggled his eyebrows and she giggled, wiping her tears away.

"I think we should go back in," he stood, ran to the diving board, flipping off with precision.

"Is that the best you got?" she teased him from her spot on the diving board.

"Let's see you do it!"

She took a step back, making a running start for the water, flipping with skill, breaking the water cleanly, much better than the blonde who she called her best friend.

"Take that!" she called out in victory. He made faces at her, mumbling something incoherent under his breath.

– 'A long time ago, there was only me, and there was no rings eternally, won't be the same, no one to blame' –

It was nearing ten o'clock when they entered Wendy's for the second time that week. The cashiers knew them on a first name basis by now. They ordered the usual, each taking their respective seats that no one else ever sat at - they had claimed it.

"Did you have fun?" he asked as she dipped a french fry in the ketchup.

"Yes, thank you for that."

"No problem...I have a question," he continued staring at her food, she looked up, half a french fry sticking out of her mouth still. He laughed before continuing.

"Why do you haveMount Everest of Ketchup for like the five fries you got?" She ate the rest of the food that had been protruding from her mouth before preparing to answer.

"Because I like ketchup, and it likes me, you're just jealous because you have no bond."

"Ok, yea sure. Whatever you say, Peyt," he shook his head, "besides only crazy people have bonds with ketchup," he added, mumbling under his breath with the knowledge that she would hear him. 'She's like a dog when it comes to hearing anyway'

She chucked a ketchup covered french at his face, hitting him square in the nose, the ketchup dripping along his nose trailing to his mouth. She broke into another fit of laughter, pointing at him while he wiped his nose with a napkin.

"So, that's how you wanna play? Don't you worry, I'll get ya later," he warned, going back to the cheeseburger awaiting him. His mind ran through a million different scenarios to get her back, never once floating to his girlfriend or what she might be doing.

– 'No longer care, and you are, and you are a new age...hopelessly hoping our plan will wake up, hoping it all will be fine' –

He stepped into her large house, staggering slightly from the alcohol now running through his veins. It had become a habit, something that settled him when everything else around was spinning out of control. He wasn't proud of what he was doing, but it seemed to be the only thing left, the only thing that hadn't died, left, or that he pushed out of his life.

"Hello," she whispered in his ear, her voice was raspy, wanting. His eyes filled with lust as he turned his head to her.

"Hey."

"You ready for this?" she questioned him, her voice still remaining low. He nodded adamantly, walking towards her, stumbling slightly. She led him through the house to her room, letting him take control as they crossed the doorway. He let his body weight push her backwards, moving her to the bed. She grabbed the collar of his shirt, pulling him down on top of her. His lips meeting hers, while she helped him with her shirt.

"I'm glad you came," he nodded, pulling his shirt over his head frantically. It seemed only seconds later she had no clothes to cover her, and he was left in his boxers. She tugged at the waist band, letting them slide off slowly, teasing him all the while. She pulled what she needed from her top drawer, handing it to him while he smirked. She was smarter than she looked.

Only minutes later as he pushed for the last time, she arched her back, muffled her scream against his shoulder and let go. He held her tightly against him, his body quickly sobering back up as he realized what he did. He knew it should've been a mistake, but as she laid in his arms he didn't feel the way he thought he would. Something felt okay, the first time he felt okay with himself in days.

"Can you stay?" her voice was small, almost as though she didn't want to ask him.

"Yea, Brooke, I'll stay," he answered her firmly, letting her know that it wasn't a burden. Her felt her relax in his arms, letting her shoulders unwind a little, he pulled the blanket up over them. He knew there was going to be hell to pay the next morning, but for tonight he was okay with forgetting.

"Thanks, Jake."

– 'Holding our candles through weather or not, love be the enemy now' –

The dark haired boy situated himself on her couch. Moving a pillow out from behind him, he lifted his feet up to rest them on the table, she walked in with a bowl of popcorn and two sodas. The movie had just started, she jumped onto the cushion, also making herself comfortable. The beginning credits of Garden State had just begun, the lights were off as they each escaped into the fictional movie.

Some amount of time later, they were nearing the end of the movie. Apparently Zach Braff's character was just coming to terms with his mother's death, trying to find out what happened to his life and how much of it was affected by her being in a wheelchair. They watched as Natalie Portman tried to comfort him, Nathan stealing glances at the brunette here and there.

It had suddenly occurred to him, how beautiful she was. How her eyes sparkled when she laughed, her whole facial expression was lifted when she smiled. He continued to stare, the movie waves barely hitting his ears anymore. She looked over to see his gaze upon her, his eyes boldly looking her up and down.

"What're you doing?" she whispered, intimidated by his stare, but at the same time intrigued.

He didn't answer, just leaned his head in closer to her, very slowly coming in as her eyes fell closed by instinct. The last thing he expected was for her to be willing, but she was. Her breathing was a little more ragged and shallow as he finally came down, letting his lips brush hers. It wasn't rough or urgent, but slow, and romantic, something Haley had always envisioned being her first kiss with someone she was meant to be with. Her eyes fluttered open, focusing solely on him, making unbreakable eye contact with the boy.

"Why'd you do that?" her voice was husky, making him want her more. The movie was long forgotten somewhere in the background of the night. Once again he decided not to answer, just leaned in again, capturing her bottom lip between his teeth before pulling her into a deeper kiss. She let her arms come around the nape of his neck, pulling him closer, holding him tighter.

The two blondes made their way up the front, the window catching their attention on the way. Lucas stopped dead in his tracks, watching his two friends taking their relationship to another level. He grabbed Peyton's arm, pulling her to his side, pointing to their mutual friends. Her jaw dropped, while they stood in the dark.

"Oh my God," she was quiet, not willing to disturb the peace that only came with the night. She knew she was going to get details from Haley the next day, but some piece of her remained jealous. She didn't have that, Jake was gone, all she had was Lucas.

"Yea," his response was short, simple, and quiet. Her hand remaining in his all the while, they stood in the silence, his hot breath permeating the cold night. He wished that he would find that one day, someone who would make his heart beat the way his brother's did when Haley entered the room. He had known for a while that Brooke was not the one, that she wouldn't cut it, and that somewhere along the line she'd find someone else, Peyton was all he had left.

They were all they had.

– 'Now for the rest of time, and you are and you are a new age...' –

First off, I think I should clear some things up that a reviewer asked me about. I do realize that Lucas' middle name is Eugene, but personally I don't really like that name, and considering the story is AU (alternate universe) I can change it. Lol. Also, I know Peyton's mom died in a car accident but I had to change it so her death would fit the story better. AU means alternate universe which means nothing in the show happened, only the characters. So, thanks for reading and for the info, it means a lot that you took all that time to tell me. Also, Nathan and Haley were friends before hand, but not as close as Lucas and Peyton, they're very casual. The song used was "How Many Hearts" by Travis. Thanks for the reviews.

No spoilers yet ... just keep reading!