Thanks for all the reviews! They have been wonderful! And special thanks to Summer, Jen, Jackie and April for being great friends and reading all my chapters! The rest of you as well. I am preoccuppied lately but I promise I will got through the reviews and comment back next chapter. One quick thing. I had a reviewer that said I write with incomplete sentences so I wanted to say thank you so much for pointing that out and I will work on it. Sometimes I tend to write the way people speak because it makes it more realistic to me. But that is not right for professional writing I am aware. Thank goodness this is only for fun. Enjoy this JP chapter!

Chapter 12: I'll Come Back to You Someday

Jake's POV

I am so thankful for that call. Larry gave me the one thing that was missing from my life. He gave me back my true love. As I sit in this church with Peyton in front of me I realize it could have been her inside that coffin. I could have lost her for good. And we would have never had our happy ending. But she was saved and we still have time for that. It's my goal to make sure that wish comes true. It is my duty to be there in her time of need and in her time of happiness. I just want to be there for all time. As much as she needs me, I need her. We need each other. And I was going to be here always. I called my job and told them I needed a couple weeks off. I said there was a death and I had to go take care of a loved one. I didn't know when I would return or if I would return.

I had to be with Peyton now. I packed up Jenny and a few hours later we were in Tree Hill. I dropped Jenny off at my parent's house and made my way to Peyton's. When I arrived I rang the doorbell. Soon the door opened and I saw who could only be Mr. Sawyer at the door. It was hard to believe in all the time that Peyton and I had known each other, we had never met. But I recognized him from the photographs and drawings she had of him.

Flashback

"You must be Jake. It's nice to meet you son. I'm Larry Sawyer."

"It's nice to meet you too Mr. Sawyer." I reached out my hand and he pulled me into a hug.

"Handshakes are for strangers and I feel like I know you pretty well already. And you can call me Larry. You're family now kid."

Peyton sure was right. Her father was a very warm and friendly man. And he was right because I felt I knew him as well.

"Thanks. So am I late? You said five right?"

"You are just in time. I'm about to leave to go pick her up."

"Okay let's go."

"Actually I think you should stay here. I want it to be a surprise. She really needs it right now."

"That sounds fine. I need time to think about what I'm gonna say to her anyway. So much has happened and I don't know where to start."

"Just think with your head and follow your heart. That's what I always tell Peyton."

"Thanks Larry."

"No thank you Jake. This is going to mean everything to Peyton."

I smiled and gave him a nod as he walked out the door. "That's good because she means everything to me."

About an hour had passed when I heard a car pull into the drive way. I was starting to get really nervous. Why should I be nervous? Sure I hadn't seen or spoken to her in months but we were both still the same people. I was more comfortable around her than anyone. But at the same time she made my heart race at a speed I couldn't control. Just then the door opened and I heard her beautiful voice."

"Oh dad what did you buy me?"

"It didn't cost any money but it sure it valuable."

And then I saw her. She looked as amazing as ever. Of course she was hobbling on crutches but she still managed to look drop dead gorgeous. She could be in a full body cast instead of just one on her leg and she'd be heaven to me.

"Hey Peyton." That was all I was able to get out at the moment. We were caught in each others stares and I never wanted to look away from those eyes. Those beautiful hazel eyes I had missed so much.

"Jake." She dropped her crutches and flung herself at me. She was back in my arms and it felt good. I'm never gonna let her go.

We held each other for what seemed like eternity before we let go. In that time I heard Larry say, "I think I'll leave you two alone."

"What are you doing here?"

"I'm here for you."

"How did you…?"

"Your dad called me." All of a sudden I saw that she was looking behind me and I turned to see Larry dodge back out of sight. We both shared a laugh. "He told me everything that had happened with the shooting and about Ellie. I knew I had to come."

"I'm so glad you did. You don't know how much I've missed you."

"Oh I'm pretty sure I do. Because take that and times it by a million. That's how much I have missed you."

Before I knew it she planted a huge kiss on my lips. Man I had forgotten how good she tasted. That familiar flavor of her watermelon lip gloss was pure bliss and I didn't want to stop. Finally she pulled away and then couldn't stop talking.

"So where have you been? What have you been up to? What happened to Nikki? Where's Jenny? Did you bring her? Is she alright? Are you alright? How come you didn't answer my emails or call me?"

I placed my hand on her cheek. "Whoa, whoa. Slow down there. We have a lot to discuss. What do you say we order a pizza and pop in Caddyshack for old times sake? And we can talk.

"That sounds perfect."

And it was perfect. We were together again. And it felt like we had never been apart. We talked about everything for hours. I told her about Nikki and the trial for Jenny. I told her about school and my job. And she told me about what has been happening with her. In much more detail than I had already heard from her dad. I just loved staring at her face. I could listen to her talk all day. And that is what we did. Now it was dark.

"Wow. I can't believe it's already so late."

"I don't want you to go. I'm afraid I won't see you again."

"That's not gonna happen Peyton."

"Where are you staying?"

"Actually I'm staying here."

"Really?" The smile on her face was so huge. Again she leaped into my arms.

"Yep. I already talked it over with your dad and he invited me to stay. But in the guest room of course. That was a stipulation of the agreement. He is very protective that one."

We started up the stairs and down the hall.

"Well he has the right to be. We both know I'm a wild one."

"Oh I'm so sure. If I remember correctly you are as wild as a puppy."

"I'm not so sure how to take that. Is that a dig Jagelski?"

"Not at all. Who doesn't love puppies?"

"I'll have you know I have hung out with my fair share of rock stars. I even dated the bass player from Fall Out Boy."

I rolled my eyes. "I hardly think one weekend at a cabin constitutes dating."

She gave a wicked grin and raised her eyebrows. "Well you don't know what went on at that cabin. As well as in the limo outside my house a few nights before.

I raised my hand. "Stop I don't want to know. Fine then I was clearly wrong about you. You are a badass. End of that conversation."

"Why thank you. Someone finally admits it. I knew there was a reason I kept you around."

"I thought that was just my sexy body."

She gave a sexy grin. "Well that too."

"Something will have to be done about that."

"I am in agreement there. But that is gonna have to wait. My father knows the way I feel about you and I am sure he is going to have us under twenty-four hour surveillance.

"It could be kinky."

"Uh let me think…no."

"I had to try."

"I'm glad you did."

So we made to in front of the doors of our respective rooms. "So we've come to the end."

She held my hand tight. "I don't want to let go. And I don't want to go to sleep. I'm afraid I'm gonna wake up and you will be just a dream."

"Don't worry Peyton. "I'll be right here. From now on, that's where I'll always be."

"That's all I needed to hear." And with that she planted a sweat kiss on my lips. "Night Jake."

"Goodnight Peyton." She let go of my hand and went into her room. I started to make my way across the hall into my room and I heard the door open. I turned around. Is something wrong?"

"No nothing. Everything's just right. I was just making sure you were real."

"I'm real. You're real. You and I are real."

She gave a sigh of relief. "I can go to sleep now that I know that."

"Peyton?"

"Yeah?"

I put a very serious look on my face. "There's just one thing I have to know."

You could tell she was worried about what I had to say. "What?"

I smiled. "I'm a better kisser than the fall out boy right?"

She looked so relieved. "No contest."

"That's all I needed to hear." I turned back to my room.

"Jake?"

"Yeah?"

"You're better than anyone, at anything."

She turned back around and quickly went into her room. It was like if she didn't hurry up she would never be able to close the door. I knew how she felt. I walked into mine and we gave each other one last smile before we both closed our doors. Tomorrow would be another day. And we had a lifetime.