Thanks for the reviews guys. I got a pretty good head start on my new fic, so now I'll finish posting the updates I have written already, and update new ones as soon as I can. Thanks for the patience.

Love, Emily


Lucas had stayed at the Rivercourt for a little while, not playing basketball, just thinking. Thinking how he could've ever snapped at Peyton like he did, even Nathan. They were really the only two people left here, and he had just pushed them out of his life probably completely. He didn't see how much he had changed until today, it took them cursing him out for him to realize how much he has screwed things up lately. His jealousy mixed with anger just took over his body. He was confused, lost, more so than he had ever been before. When he promised that he'd change, it took a dive for the worst instead of better. And this time, he didn't have anyone, especially Peyton, to turn to.

It was pouring again, the clouds finally making their move on Tree Hill once again. Of course, the one day he doesn't take his truck. He jogged most of the way home, listening to the music from his iPod blare through the tiny headphones. It wasn't until he got to his driveway that he noticed the brunette sitting on his porch, out of the rain. "Brooke…" he whispered to himself, watching as she made her way into the rain where he now stood. She had a grin on her face, placing a few pieces of untamed hair behind her ear. "What are you doing here?"

"I had to see you…" she said, locking eyes with his as her smile grew wider.

"Brooke about th-,"

"No. No, you don't have to apologize Lucas…" she shushed him, placing a finger seductively on his lips. "I was scared, scared because I didn't want to get hurt again. But now I know that I want to be with you, I do. I always have…" she leaned upward, trying to catch his lips, but couldn't since he had turned his head. She stood back on her feet, confused as he tried to avoid her eye contact. "What…?"

"That's…what I wanted to talk to you about…" he stumbled out. He had hurt enough people the past few days, and she was about to add to the list. He knew what he was about to tell her would be make her feel exactly like Peyton did.

Hurt…Betrayed…

"What is it?"

She wasn't going to make this easy for him. She clearly had no clue what he was talking about, or she was trying to avoid it. "Umm, these past couple of weeks with you gone, has really given me some time to think, you know?" she nodded her head slowly and nervously in agreement. "Well, it's really made me see, how many people I've hurt and just how selfish I've been lately. It wasn't until you left that I saw how many people were cut off from my life. I didn't realize how me spending so much time with you was affecting my relationships with other peop-"

"Peyton?" she cut in.

"Her…Nathan…Haley, even my mom," he said, disappointed in himself. "But I loved spending time with you, it's just I was fixed, all my time, was spent on you. It wasn't fair to anyone else, how I let them slip away from me without notice. Like you and me, how close we got, well that's how far apart Peyton and I becam-"

"So you like her?" Brooke asked tearfully.

"Just…let me fini-"

"What about all that stuff you told me before you left Lucas? Huh? What was that!" she yelled, tears mixing with the rain.

"Brooke, I meant what I said…about never letting you go because I don't think I could date you again. I just didn't realize it because part of me did want to date you again. I looked at Peyton and saw how happy she was with Jake, you know? You were the only one left, and I was scared of being alone. I wanted to be happy. I wanted Peyton to be happy, and she finally became happy…with Jake. I just figured that it was my turn. If Peyton could be happy with someone else, then so could I, or so I thought. The thing is, I thought I could change, and somehow I'd be happy with you." he was trying to make sense, but probably wasn't just because he never really did when it came to Brooke.

"So you fell for Peyton didn't you?" her eyes closed simultaneously, not wanting him to answer, not wanting the heartbreak.

He didn't know what to say, for he hadn't admitted it to anyone. "Yeah…" he finally said with a smile, "I guess I did. I just finally saw what I gave up when she slipped away from me and out of my life. I just didn't want you betrayed again, I wanted to tell the truth…"

"Yeah…I have to go…" she choked out, lightly pushing past him as she made her way back to Peyton's. Whatever Lucas did, he couldn't help but feel horrible. Nothing could ever be easy for him…